Minnesota board certifies Senate race

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) - The Minnesota State Canvassing Board on Monday certified Democratic challenger Al Franken's slim lead in the state's contentious U.S. Senate race after more than two months of ballot counting, but the battle isn't over yet: Incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman vowed to fight on.

With nearly 2.9 million ballots cast in the November 4 election, Franken led Coleman by a mere 225 votes after the final recount was completed over the weekend.

In Washington, the Senate's majority and minority leaders staked out opposing positions on the matter of who will serve Minnesota alongside Democrat Amy Klobuchar.

"There comes a time when you have to acknowledge that the race is over," Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, told reporters. "The race in Minnesota's over. Now it's only a little finger-pointing. The certification by the canvassing board, which has been in process for a number of weeks, now clearly shows that Al Franken has won."

Moments later, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, said, "The law in Minnesota requires certification from the secretary of state and that can't happen until the conclusion of all legal battles. It's not over."