Posted on 11/08/2006 6:26:19 AM PST by kellynla
MINNEAPOLIS -- Democrat Keith Ellison was elected as the nation's first Muslim member of Congress on Tuesday, easily winning a Minneapolis-area district Republicans had not carried since 1962.
Ellison, who is black, is also Minnesota's first nonwhite representative in Washington. He said those things were only of secondary importance.
"I think the most important thing about this race is we tried to pull people together on things we all share, things that are important to everyone. We all need peace, and this Iraq policy is dangerous to our country," said Ellison, who has called for immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops.
Ellison said his campaign united labor, minority communities, peace activists. "We were able to bring in Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists," he said. "We brought in everybody."
Ellison focused on issues that resonate in the urban, liberal-leaning 5th District in Minneapolis. By favoring gay rights and legal abortion, Ellison cut a path away from many Muslims.
Hayat Hassan, 30, a single mother and a Muslim, said she voted for Ellison because of his positions on health care and education.
"I didn't even know he was a Muslim until one of his campaign workers told me," she said.
The seat was thrown open when longtime Rep. Martin Sabo said he would retire after 28 years. The Minneapolis-centered district is the most Democratic-leaning in the state; in 2004 seven of 10 voters went for John Kerry for president. That meant the real battle was the September primary, and Ellison, the endorsed Democrat, beat several strong candidates in that race, including Sabo's former chief of staff Mike Erlandson.
On Tuesday he beat Republican Alan Fine and the Independence Party's Tammy Lee.
Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society, compared an Ellison victory to Edward Brooke's election in 1966 as the first black senator since the 1870s.
He said Muslims followed the campaign closely, and that they are more excited about seeing a Muslim in Congress than they are concerned about Ellison's strong liberal views.
"We are monotheistic, but we are not monolithic. There are things within our own community that we disagree about," he said. Ellison's views "might be a concern but I think the overall factor of having a Muslim voice in Congress overrides those types of concerns."
Ellison's campaign had to deal with reports of overdue parking tickets, late campaign finance reports and unpaid taxes. He also faced questions about anti-Semitism because of past ties with the Nation of Islam, a black Muslim group led by the confrontational Louis Farrakhan.
Ellison, a criminal defense attorney who converted to Islam as a college student, denounced Farrakhan, and he won the endorsement of a Minneapolis Jewish newspaper.
do you have a link for this?
Barak Hussein Obama is mighty proud right now!
Allah Fubar!
Just asking....
Well he's moderating...he didn't refer to them as Jews - the most racist people in the world - in his statement.
It could have been a bit more interesting of a race if the R (Fine) would have dropped out and left it to Ellison and the Independent. This district was never voting for for Fine in large numbers.
The world is sliding toward destruction. The only thing we can do is try to slow down that slide. Yesterday, the American people decided they wanted to slide a little faster.
Ellison says he got the Jewish vote, does that mean he is a supporter of Israel?
I believe many morons that vote, saw this as the trendy thing to do.
Not to be smug or anything even closely related .... believe me, I've done my years in the trenches with working polls, races and grass roots movements - I'm done getting all lathered up about the Dims gaining ground.
I've made a life decision to stop putting all my eggs in the Washington basket and leaning entirely on a living and awesome God who can melt the hearts of the most wicked politician.
Perhaps I need to stop hangin around Free Republic, which is a shame because I really enjoy the concept. But My passion is changing. I simply cannot find the resolve to get worked up about a muslem winning a seat in congress while there are white guys that look just like me with truly evil hearts already in office.
All this doom and gloom over the elections seem misplaced to me. Throughout history, people have gotten the governments they deserve.
"MINO" -- Muslim In Name Only. He supports gays and abortion, two things that are forbidden in Islam. And this isn't just "Oops, I ate meat on Friday" forbidden, but stuff that can get you executed if you do it in the wrong country.
The Independant was a Green Party Kook.
"MINO" -- Muslim In Name Only. He supports gays and abortion, two things that are forbidden in Islam. And this isn't just "Oops, I ate meat on Friday" forbidden, but stuff that can get you executed if you do it in the wrong country.
yea, all the families of dead Marines & Soldiers feel better already...not to mention the families & friends of those who were murdered on 9/11!
still would have been better...
That's a good point. He really isn't a true Muslim politically. Except for that little jihadist thing, a true Muslim would never be a Democrat.
My husband has relatives from Minnesooota. They are the biggest flaming liberals in the family and make for much tension at Thanksgiving, usually a sniff or a snicker when my husband mentions the troops & Bush in the pre-dinner prayer. Thankfully, this is the year for us to spend the holiday with MY side of the family. Hubby doesn't even have a problem with that.
"They are the biggest flaming liberals in the family and make for much tension at Thanksgiving, usually a sniff or a snicker when my husband mentions the troops & Bush in the pre-dinner prayer"
I love it! Bet it really goes against their grain, or like fingernails on a chalkboard. LOL
The jihad isn't far behind.
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