Quite odd, Keith Ellison suddenly announced that he’s running for Minnesota Attorney General rather than re-election to Congress. This decision is baffling, with the Democrats having a chance to retake the House in November. He doesn’t have a clear shot to become Minnesota AG either, there’s a primary upcoming against a more moderate Democrat and, should he win that, a very tough general election run. Ellison has only won in his super blue congressional district and is a bit of a darling among the progressive left.
I assume Ellison has dreams of being attorney general and filing endless lawsuits against the Trump administration.
If he does win, he needs to immediately resign his DNC leadership post.
His district (Minneapolis) has been solid blue since 1963. There’s almost no chance that the Republicans win that seat. Ellison won 69-30 last time and 70-30ish the time before that. Hell, back in the day when I lived in the city and considered myself more right-leaning, I still voted for Martin Olav Sabo, who was a good man and a good rep.
I have to admit that I’m somewhat mystified by this sudden change of direction, but you do have to remember that the spot only opened up because the current AG is running for Governor.
It really is a very odd move. Ellison, as co-DNC chair already gets his name out a bit with the Sunday talk shows and, of course, endless fundraising emails. In the House with a Democratic majority, he’d have plenty of time to take on Trump with committee hearings.
But, he’s no slam dunk to win Attorney General, which I assume is a step towards becoming governor in the future. Losing the AG race would mean his political career could end with him doing nothing than getting elected as a congressman in a solid blue district, especially if both Senate seats go Democratic in November
*Ellison, who was elected to Congress in 2007 and serves as deputy chairman of the Democratic National Committee, also has the distinction of being the first Muslim elected to Congress.
President Donald Trump’s policies related to Muslims or immigrants from predominantly Muslim countries are among the reasons Ellison cited for deciding to run statewide — an undoubtedly more challenging proposition than winning the liberal Minneapolis-based 5th Congressional District he currently serves.
“It was attorneys general who led the fight against the Muslim ban,” Ellison said after filing to run for the office, referring to Trump’s ban on travel to the U.S. by visitors from several Muslim-majority countries. “I want to be a part of that fight.”*
His strongest opponent for the DFL* nomination is Mike Hatch, who has indicated that me might drop out of the race.
In Minnesota they’re the DFL, or Democratic-Farmer-Laborer party.
IANAMinnesotan, but the path looks pretty clear to me.
Liberal Congressman wants to move up, but he needs to establish some sort of middle-of-the-road credibility. Run for Attorney General where he can spend a few years either busting crime on the streets, going after corrupt corporations, or protecting consumers, whichever works best.
After one or two terms, he builds up enough popularity statewide that he can run for governor or senator.
Sure, he could lose, but any politician who wants to go from little fish to bigger fish believes he will win.
Well, he’ll turn 55 years old in August. The AG has a four year term. His oldest son is on the Minneapolis City Council (elected last year). One son is an Army combat medic, the youngest in college. His daughter will graduate from college this year. It is entirely possible that he just wants to come home after 10 years in the swamp and be closer to his family and friends, work for 4-8 years as AG and then retire.
He might be getting forced out of his DNC position, particularly if its financials have worsened further, and trying for a fresh start in a way that makes it look like leaving was his choice.
I suppose this could also be an indication that DNC internal polling shows the House staying Republican in November.
I don’t know about that - the seat will almost certainly stay Democrat and Ellison is used to being in the minority. The DFL doesn’t need him to keep the seat.
I thought the AG seat opened up because the current AG did not get the party endorsement, and that was why she decided to run for governor.
While there are a small number of Bernie’s Butthurt Brigade that still cling to ridiculous conspiracy theories about the DNC, DNC fundraising isn’t that important for a midterm. DSCC and DCCC fundraising is far more important along with the fundraising by individual candidates.
Ellison has been rather controversial and at times an angry at times. He’s a black Muslim advocate, an easy target for Republicans. Him moving on I think helps the Democrats.
That’s a rather gross exaggeration, but I guess that comes from listening to right wing propaganda on the subject.
And seriously “Angry”? Really??? Have you listened to, oh, say any right wing politician or talk show host? They’re magnitudes more angry that Mr. Ellison has ever been.
Geez, men use the same thing to dismiss women politicians because she show anger once in a while. It is an easy, dismissive excuse. You tone police people when you want to discredit them and ignore what they’re saying because you can’t argue it.
Certainly the people of his district, which have consistently elected him with @70% of the vote, don’t think he’s merely an angry advocate for Muslims, who represent perhaps 2% of the population of his district.
True - they think he is a Democrat, which is why he got elected by roughly the same margins as other Democrats did.
Now, however, he is running for a state-wide office. Minnesota as a state is not as overwhelmingly liberal as his district, and the percentage of black voters is lower in the state overall than in his district. So he is not nearly as much a lock as he would have been if he had gone for re-election.
I live in Ellison’s district. Does seem like a bit of a bizarre sideways (at best) move.
Agree with others that there is almost no chance that his seat would go to a republican, this is VERY liberal Minneapolis (I think Hillary won the district something like 75% of the vote in 2016). Now, if you wanna talk about retiring congressman Rick Nolan’s seat up north in the Arrowhead (MN 8th)… that one has me nervous. Its a large rural district (with the small-medium cities of Duluth & Grand Marais) where Democrats have historically been able to keep the support of pro-union/mining folks up there, but its not a democratic strong hold like it used to be. Also, the further you get away from the Twin Cities, the more of those weird pro-life billboards you see.