MINNESOTA – Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, is backed by Democratic Party’s heavy weight figures to become the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
Though Ellison has not officially announced his candidacy, he said on ABC’s This Week the decision would come ‘real soon’, The Daily Mail reported on Monday, November 14.
The suggestion was made by several renowned figures in the Democratic Party which faces a crisis after the Republicans swept the presidency along with the Senate and House of Representatives last November 8.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid endorsed Ellison on Sunday, calling him 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.”
Bernie Sanders, who was competing for the Democratic Party ticket to presidential election against Hillary Clinton, also announced his endorsement.
“The Democratic Party needs to look itself in the mirror and work tirelessly to become once again the party that working people know will work for their interests,” he wrote in a letter to supporters.
“That’s why I believe that Rep. Keith Ellison is the right person to lead the Democratic National Committee.
“Keith is one of the most progressive members of Congress, and he was an early supporter of our political revolution.
“He is a co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, a strong believer in grassroots politics, and someone who would be enormously effective in leading the Democratic Party against President Donald Trump.”
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Ellison was ‘a strong progressive who knows how to get things done’
Sanders announced his endorsement
Senators Charles Schumer and Elizabeth Warren also backed Ellison, along with organizations like MoveOn.org and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
“I really, really like Keith. I think he’s terrific and I think he would make a terrific DNC chair,” Warren told MSNBC.
Former Maryland Governor and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley says he’s also interested in the job, with more names to be expected in the running.
But Ellison remains a favorite, with many turning to him as someone who can energize voters and lead a grassroots movement.
On Sunday, Ellison appeared on ‘This Week,’ giving an analysis of what went wrong for his party and how to turn things around.
“I love the donors and we thank them, but it has to be the guys in the barber shop, the lady at the diner, the folks who are worried about if their plant is going to close — they’ve got to be our focus,” he said.
“They have got to be a laser-beam focus on everything we do, and everything we do should animate and empower them at the grassroots level for working people across this country. That’s how we come back.”