Rep. Kieth Ellison is frontrunner for DNC chairpersonship
Following nominee Hillary Clinton's loss in the 2016 presidential elections, the Democratic Party is re-shaping itself; the Muslim-American Ellison has already gathered support from prominent Democrats.
Representative Keith Ellison, the first Muslim to be elected to the US Congress, has emerged as the frontrunner to become chairperson of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) – the party's governing body, responsible for coordinating its political strategy. Whoever is elected as DNC chair will have the tough task of guiding the party through its recovery following the painful loss it suffered in the 2016 elections.
Ellison, a representative of Minnesota's fifth district in the US House of Representatives since 2007, has already gathered the support of three party leaders: Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who lost a close presidential primary race to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, and influential Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. He has yet to officially declare his candidacy for the position, but has stated that he will announce his intentions soon.
Ellison, 53, grew up catholic but converted to Islam while in college, at age 19. His ex-wife was not a Muslim, but their four children were raised Muslim. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2006, starting his term in early 2007.
Ellison has visited Israel in the past, as part of a US delegation, even meeting then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. He has advocated for the removal of the blockade on Gaza for humanitarian reasons, but has also defended Israel's right to defend its citizens from the threat of Hamas rocket fire.
"My friend Keith Ellison is a terrific leader and a strong progressive who knows how to get things done. Now is the time for new thinking and a fresh start at the DNC. Now is the time for Keith," said Reid, who will be retiring at the end of his current term in early January 2017.
