Al Franken is a well-known comedian and liberal commentator bidding to translate his media career into his first job in politics. Franken, a Harvard University graduate and Minnesota native, hosted his own program on Air American radio until 2007 and has authored several best-selling books of American political commentary.

Norm Coleman, the incumbent Republican senator from Minnesota, has represented the state since 2002, when he edged out Walter Mondale, the Democrat's last-minute entry into the race after the death of Paul Wellstone. Coleman, who served as the mayor of St. Paul from 1993 to 2001, began his political career as a conservatively minded Democrat but joined the Republican Party in 1996.

Dean Barkley, 58, the Independence Party candidate, has already served as a U.S. senator for Minnesota, but only for a few months. He was appointed to fill the late Paul Wellstone's seat from October 2002 to January 2003. Barkley was also an adviser to former Gov. Jesse Ventura and was a Democrat before founding Minnesota's Independence Party in 1992. He was also campaign manager for Kinky Friedman's 2006 third-party bid for governor of Texas.