Did Felons Influence 2008 MN Senate Race?

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - There is controversy over a new report that claims felons may have helped sway the result that helped elect Senator Al Franken.

It was the longest senate race in Minnesota history and one of the closest.

Put out by, Minnesota Majority, a conservative group that has released similar reports in the past, admit there could be holes in their data.

In 2008, the FOX 9 investigators found 93 felons had registered to vote either by accident or fraud.

We had to compare hundreds of thousands of names on two different data bases to get that number. Later, the secretary of state told a legislative committee that its office found up to 61 felons actually cast votes in 2008. Even if Minnesota majority is right about felon voters, nothing would change the election.

Here's how close it was: Al Franken beat Norm Coleman by just 312 votes.

That was after seven months of recounts and court challenges. Despite criticism over the latest report, the State Republican Party wants an investigation in every county in Minnesota.

Governor Tim Pawlenty told FOX News channel's FOX and Friends that he thinks its possible felons had an impact. Franken's office is not commenting on the report.

Coleman is only saying that he's looking forward and thinks 2010 will be good for Republicans.

VIDEO (left) Did felons influence the race? Dan McGrath, the Executive Director of Minnesota Majority discusses the election results.