Keith Maurice Ellison is an American Democrat politician, who represented the Minnesota's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives, becoming the first Muslim elected to the U.S. Congress and the highest Muslim elected official in the United States at the time of his election.
Born August 4th, 1963 in Detroit, Michigan, Ellison moved to Minneapolis in 1987, becoming a lawyer and community activist. He was elected as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, serving House District 58B from 2003-2007. After his terms as a U.S. Congressman from 2007 to 2019, Ellison was chosen by Minnesota Governor Walz to become the state’s Attorney General.
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June 30, 2006 - The Reverend Jesse Jackson will be in North Minneapolis today to hold a rally for Keith Ellison, the DFL endorsed candidate in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. If elected, Ellison would be the first African American Congressman from Minnesota and the first Muslim Congressman in the nation's history. But Ellison's past, in particular his relationship with the group, Nation of Islam, is causing some Jewish activists and others to question whether he's the best candidate.
July 7, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on upcoming DFL battle for congressional seat. Ellison is the DFL-endorsed candidate for Congress in the Fifth Congressional District. Yesterday the former chair of the state DFL Party, Mike Erlandson, filed for the same seat. Erlandson is ignoring his party's endorsement and trying to beat Ellison in the September primary. Erlandson is getting help from his former boss, Congressman Martin Sabo, who is retiring at the end of the year.
July 24, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on the four DFLers seeking to replace retiring fifth district Congressman Martin Sabo. Keith Ellison, State Representative; Ember Reichgott Junge, former state senator; Mike Erlandson, former DFL Party chair; and Paul Ostrow, Minneapolis City Council member, appeared at an event hosted by KFAI Radio and Insight News. With less than two months before the September primary, the four DFLers agreed on several major national issues but tried to differentiate themselves based on their experience. The debate included topics of the war in Iraq, health care and poverty issues.
August 1, 2006 - Hennepin County Sheriff Pat McGowan, a Republican, is endorsing former DFL Party Chair Mike Erlandson for Congress. Erlandson is one of seven DFLers running in Minnesota's Fifth District, which includes Minneapolis and several suburbs. McGowan says he's backing Erlandson because he's the best candidate on public safety issues. He says he's not endorsing Republican Alan Fine because he doesn't think anyone but a Democrat can win in the heavily DFL district. McGowan also criticized Keith Ellison, the DFL endorsed candidate, for not doing enough on public safety during his time in the state Legislature.
August 1, 2006 - Comments from Keith Ellison, the DFL endorsed candidate, regarding Hennepin County Sheriff Pat McGowan’s endorsement of Ellison’s congressional candidate opponent, Mike Erlandson.
August 24, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on four DFLers running in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District who debated at the Minnesota State Fair over health care, the war in Iraq, and public safety issues.
September 12, 2006 - Raw audio of Keith Ellison victory speech in DFL primary for 5th district. (Speech was not broadcast)
September 13, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports that State Representative Keith Ellison has won the DFL nomination for Minnesota's Fifth Congressional seat. Ellison won a hard-fought primary contest against six other DFL candidates, including a former state senator and a former DFL Party chair. Ellison's victory makes him a heavy favorite to replace Congressman Martin Sabo, who is retiring from the seat. But Ellison's Republican opponent says he will continue to question Ellison's character, a campaign tactic that Ellison's DFL opponents used with little success.
September 15, 2006 - MPR’s Tom Scheck reports on the three major party candidates running for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. DFL candidate Keith Ellison, Republican Alan Fine, and Independence Party member Tammy Lee met in their first debate since Tuesday's primary. Fine continued his criticism of Ellison for his past relationship with the Nation of Islam during the debate on Minnesota Public Radio News. Ellison said he's surprised by Fine's continued criticism and would prefer to focus on the issues. Lee stated the back and forth between the two candidates is an example of why the voters should send an independent to Washington.
November 1, 2006 - In less than a week, voters in Minnesota's 5th district will elect a new representative to Congress for the first time in nearly three decades. MPR's Brandt Williams checks out all four campaigns.