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Al Franken (left), who now serves on the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, meets with Vice President Joe Biden in May. (Official White House photo by David Lienemann)

Al Franken was sworn into the U.S. Senate in early July after being declared the winner in Minnesota by a mere 312 votes.

“I tell Al those 312 people are Native American,” says Peggy Flanagan, 29, who served as liaison to the state’s tribal members during the campaign.