Former Saturday Night Live cast member Al Franken will run for the US Senate in Minnesota in 2008.

A senior Democratic official from Minnesota confirmed the comedian has decided to run for office, but he has not made an official announcement.

The 55-year-old has been calling members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to get their advice on his candidacy.

He announced this week he would be leaving his show on Air America Radio on February 14, and told listeners he would be making a decision soon on his run for office.

Franken will take on Republican Norm Coleman, a first-term senator who is among the Democrats' top targets.

In addition to his work on Saturday Night Live, he has also written several best-selling books combining humour and politics.

Visit Al Franken's Starpulse Page for a gallery of photos, biography, recent and archived news, and much more!

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)