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Former Sen. Coleman Rules Out 2012 Minn. Campaign

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Republican Norm Coleman won't seek a return to the Senate in 2012 in a Minnesota race that would have pitted him against Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Interviewed on the online ABC "Top Line" program Tuesday, Coleman said he won't run. "I'll leave that task to others," Coleman said.

No one has formally stepped up as an opponent to Klobuchar, who won her race convincingly in 2006.

Coleman served one term in the Senate, losing a nailbiter in 2008 to Democrat Al Franken. After a recount and court case, 312 votes separated the two.

Coleman heads up the American Action Network, a group that pumped millions of dollars into congressional races last fall to aid Republicans.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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