MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Rep Keith Ellison has filed to run for attorney general of Minnesota.
The turmoil continues for Democrats in Minnesota in the wake of the DFL convention this past weekend. In a last minute turn of events, Ellison has announced he will be abandoning his seat in Congress to run for attorney general.
“As Attorney General, I will push for equal rights under the law, for common sense gun safety laws, and for criminal justice reform that ends unjust policies and creates a pathway for Minnesotans to re-enter as contributing members of society,” Ellison said in a statement announcing his candidacy.
Ellison’s surprise entrance into the race comes after Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson announced Monday that she would no longer be seeking re-election, jumping into the governor’s race instead.
Ellison was believed to be considering running for attorney general in January, but decided against it when Swanson announced her re-election campaign. Swanson’s abrupt exit from the race created a last-minute opening for Ellison.
Doug Wardlow, the GOP-endorsed candidate for attorney general, believes Ellison is unfit for the role of attorney general, saying Ellison is “running to be political” with the goal of blocking President Donald Trump’s agenda.
“Keith Ellison wants to be attorney general so that he can block the President’s America First agenda,” Wardlow told Alpha News.
Wardlow called attention to Ellison’s long standing relationship with Louis Farrakhan, calling the connections “disturbing.”
“We can’t afford to have radical left-wing extremists like Keith Ellison as our top law enforcement official,” Wardlow said. “His disturbing connections to Louis Farrakhan alone should disqualify him from the position. He worked for Nation of Islam for 18 months, and he dined with Louis Farrakhan as recently as 2013.”
Ellison has long been plagued by his ties to Farrakhan’s Nation of Islam. In 2006, during his first run for Congress, Ellison attempted to sever ties with Farrakhan. However, despite continuing to deny association with Farrakhan, evidence of continued interaction with Farrakhan has come to light. Earlier this year, the Washington Post also called out Ellison for failing to honestly address the allegations against him, giving him four Pinocchios.
Wardlow says Ellison’s far-left positions, including advocating for the elimination of national borders, do not reflect the priorities of Minnesotans.
“He’s completely out of touch with Minnesotans,” Wardlow said. “He stands for open borders, he will not stand up for the rule of law.”
Ellison’s sudden change of plans not only shakes up the race for attorney general, but also leaves the race for Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District open. State Sens. Patricia Torres and Bobby Joe Champion, and state Rep. Margaret Anderson have filed for Ellison’s seat. State Rep. Ilhan Omar is also being floated as potential contender.
The filing deadline is 5 p.m tonight.
