With the surprising news that Senator Arlen Specter is going to switch parties and run as a Democrat for reelection, the stakes have just gotten much higher in the appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court in the Coleman-Franken Senate race.
Whether or not Specter formally caucuses with the Democrats, if he actually hopes to win a Democratic primary and be elected, he’s going to have to go along with the Democratic program this term. This means that a Franken win would give Democrats a 60-seat filibuster proof majority, though some conservative Democrats (such as Senator Ben Nelson) likely will hold the Democrats back from enacting a fuller agenda.
For my take on where things stand with the Coleman appeal, see here, here, and here.