Muslim Keith Ellison Seeks House Seat

State Rep. Keith Ellison, who is the DFL-endorsed candidate for the Minneapolis-centered Fifth Congressional District, campaigns during the Juneteenth parade in Minneapolis, Saturday, June 17, 2006. (AP Photo Craig Lassig) (Craig Lassig - AP)

Early on, Ellison promised to drop out the race if he did not secure the party endorsement. Erlandson refused to make a similar pledge. That upset the party faithful and often can undercut a candidate's chances in the primary.

To appeal to voters, Ellison is talking less like a trailblazer and more like a fiery liberal, reminding many Minnesota Democrats of their icon, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone and embracing the L-word in a way almost no Democrat elsewhere would do.

"I think Democrats have to rediscover and re-embrace liberalism," Ellison said. "I would say that every good thing about this country came out of the mind of a liberal. Absolutely, I'll say that."

Whoever wins will take on Republican Alan Fine, a business professor, in November.

Two of his Democratic opponents have said Ellison's past associations at least raise questions, though none have made it an issue _ yet.

Dawn Sims, a Minneapolis resident and office administrator, said many of her friends are happy to see a prominent black candidate for higher office _ and are not too concerned about his past.

"He might have done or said some things at one time that not everyone would agree with," said Sims, who is black. "But I think most of us have said or done something in our life that we're embarrassed of now."

Ellison has tried to steer the discussion to other things, like his work on pro bono death penalty cases and his legislative work on environmental issues, including efforts to reduce contamination caused by lead, mercury and pesticides.

A Detroit native, Ellison grew up in a Catholic household before converting to Islam as a 19-year-old student at Wayne State University, long a hotbed of black activism. He said he was inspired by reading "The Autobiography of Malcolm X," and by friendships with fellow students who were practicing the faith.

He's quick to point out that he adheres to the religion's more moderate Sunni branch.

"Islam is as diverse as any Christianity is," said Ellison, who would be the first Muslim in Congress, according to U.S. Senate historian Donald Ritchie.

It's not clear how that will play with Minneapolis voters. The city is 65 percent white and 18 percent black. Muslims account for 20,000 of the 2.5 million residents in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, although a steady influx of Somali refugees likely has increased that total since 2000.

Sumbal Mahmud, a corporate lawyer and spokeswoman for the Islamic Center of Minnesota, said the years since the Sept. 11 attacks have been difficult for Muslims in America, and Ellison's candidacy is an important sign on the road back to acceptance.

"Hopefully it will mobilize the Muslim community to become more engaged in civic life," she said. "We all need to see politicians who speak to our own experiences."

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On the Net:

Ellison campaign: http://www.keithellison.org