Politico: Norm Coleman likely in (or out) of guv race this month

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Will Norm Coleman run for governor? Politico says “a decision could well come before the end of the year,” based on what his friends are saying. One pal puts the likelihood of Coleman reprising his 1998 guv bid at 55 percent.

Most of Politico’s sources go nameless. One who doesn’t, former U.S. Rep. Vin Weber, says Coleman has moved from “No” to a question mark on the idea.

Without even having thrown in his hat, Coleman leads all potential GOP successors to Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has decided not to run for re-election next year. A recent poll had Coleman at 46 percent of likely Republican voters. Next: state Rep. Marty Seifert, with 16 percent.

After conceding re-election defeat to Al Franken last summer, the former senator first said he’d decide soon, then put off until next spring a decision on running for governor.