Defiant And Upbeat Al Franken Pledges Not To Give Up His Voice After Leaving The Senate

Outgoing Minnesota Sen. Al Franken may be resigning from the U.S. Senate, but in a speech to supporters on Thursday, he remained defiant and said he will still remain in the political arena.

“Here is my promise to you: I may be leaving the Senate, but I’m not giving up my voice,” the popular Democratic senator said. “I will continue to stand up for the things I believe in as a citizen and as an activist.”

His full remarks:

It’s true that some of Franken’s past conduct was inappropriate, but it pales in comparison to that of other individuals that Republican leaders have supported in the past or continue to support today, like Roy Moore and Donald Trump.

Even Franken’s own constituents appear to recognize the difference between Franken’s conduct and that of others.

According to a new poll, 50 percent of Minnesotans think the Democratic senator should remain in the Senate, not resign, including 52 percent of independents. The same survey shows that Franken is most popular among women.

Despite the recent calls from his supporters to remain in his job, Franken’s office has said that his resignation will be official on Jan. 2 of next year, with Tina Smith, the Democratic lieutenant governor of Minnesota, set to replace him.

The optimistic and defiant Democrat made it clear in his remarks on Thursday that while he may be leaving Congress, his voice will not be silenced. He will continue to fight for progressive causes, he said.

“We still have a lot of work to do together on issues ranging from net neutrality and climate change … and we still have to be ready to speak out for economic justice and to defend the truth,” Franken told supporters.

With the recent outpouring of support for Al Franken as he prepares to leave the Senate, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him make a political comeback sooner rather than later.

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Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.

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