Nov. 6, 2002 -- Republican Norm Coleman declared victory Wednesday in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, ending former Vice President Walter Mondale's brief bid to return to Washington. Coleman edged out Mondale, who entered the race just one week ago to replace the late Sen. Paul Wellstone as the Democratic nominee.

Hours before Mondale conceded, Coleman talked of a Republican wave "sweeping the party to victories around the country."

"The wave is moving from east to west and we're waiting for it to hit Minnesota," he said. However, it was not until Wednesday morning that Coleman was declared the winner. In his acceptance speech, Coleman hailed Mondale as one of the state's most prestigious statesmen.

"Walter Mondale … is one of the greatest Minnesotans of the 20th century. We all honor his sense of duty and his sense of statesmanship," Coleman said.

In the few days he had to mount his campaign, Mondale became a strong contender, maintaining the already tight margin that had developed between Coleman and Wellstone. However, Coleman continued a vigorous campaign that included visits by President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney and a 3,000-mile travel blitz during the campaign's final days.

The former St. Paul mayor also trumpeted the slogan, "The future is now" -- pointing to the age difference between the 53-year-old Coleman and the 74-year-old Mondale. Coleman also criticized his opponent's tenure as vice president, during which the U.S. suffered from double-digit inflation and a fuel crisis.

Mondale, meanwhile, painted Coleman as President Bush's hand-picked candidate who would blindly support Republican policies.

Mondale was lured out of retirement after Wellstone died in a plane crash eleven days before the election. The political veteran served two terms in the Senate and four years as Jimmy Carter's vice president. In 1984, he made a failed bid for the presidency, losing to Ronald Reagan.

Calling the campaign "one of the most unbelievable moments in Minnesota history," Mondale told the crowd, "At the end of what will be my last campaign, I want to say to Minnesota, you always treated me well."