U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison official has jumped into the race to lead the Democratic Party.
The Minnesota Democrat is already working to establish himself as the progressive choice for the Democratic National Committee’s reckoning after Hillary Clinton’s shocking loss to Republican nominee Donald Trump last week in the presidential election.
The 53-year-old Muslim is a nine-year Congressional veteran. A convert to Islam, he was the first Muslim elected to Congress.
“Democrats win when we harness the power of everyday people and fight for the issues they care about,” Mr. Ellison. “It is not enough for Democrats to ask for voters’ support every two years. We must be with them through every lost paycheck, every tuition hike, and every time they are the victim of a hate crime. … We must begin the rebuilding process now,” he said in a statement.
“If given the opportunity to serve, I will work tirelessly to make the Democratic Party an organization that brings us together and advances an agenda that improves people’s lives.”
Mr. Ellison already has the backing of a handful of Democratic heavyweights — including former presidential hopeful Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), outgoing Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (NV) and likely future Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (NY).
His campaign for leader also released a slew of other endorsements as a show of force, including Sens. Chris Murphy (CN) and Amy Klobuchar (MN), Reps. Raúl Grijalva (AZ), Mark Pecan (WI) and DNC vice chairman R.T. Rybak, as well as the Minnesota, Wisconsin and Hawaii Democratic Party chairs.
Mr. Ellison is the co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and he was an outspoken supporter of Sanders’s presidential bid.
Former DNC chairman Howard Dean has also put himself in the running, and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley is considering a bid, as well.
This story originated at www.thehill.com
