First Muslim-American to be Elected to Congress May Become Next DNC Chairman

Congressman Keith Ellison’s ethnic and religious background, together with his liberal views makes him the ideal choice for DNC chairman.

Even as the United States elected a Republican candidate who has openly spoken against Muslims in America, the Democratic party is rallying behind a Catholic-turned-Muslim leader to be the next chairman of the Democratic National Committee. 53-year old advocate Keith Ellison is the first Muslim to be part of the Congress who also happens to be African-American.

First Muslim to be Elected to Congress May Become Next DNC Chairman[/tweetthis]

Ellison’s liberal views on abortion and gay rights make him the ideal choice for Democrats who are pro-choice and support LGBT equality. He is also backed by big names such as Bernie Sanders and Harry Reid, the current leader of the Democratic Senate.

For a party that is going to face a serious leadership crisis after the loss of Hillary Clinton, and the coming end of Obama’s tenure as president, Ellison seems to be the ideal choice for DNC chairman. Sanders admonished the party for spending more time courting the rich and ignoring the lower classes of Americans, and hoped that under a lawmaker like Ellison these mistakes would be rectified.

Ellison is a popular among the Jewish community as well. Most American Jews voted for Clinton. This makes the candidacy of Ellison more interesting- a Muslim Democrat backed by Jewish leaders like Bernie Sanders and Chuck Schumer.

When he was elected to the Congress in 2007, Ellison created quite a stir among Americans not only because he was the first Muslim to get into Congress, but also because he asked for a Quran for his swearing-in ceremony.

With the Democratic party laying so much emphasis on minority rights, the selection of Ellison as the next DNC chairman may not help the Democrats in gaining the confidence of those who voted for Trump in these elections. But possibly, the party’s openly accepting stances may translate well with the younger generation of voters, which may eventually tip the balances in favor of the Democrats. 

Resources

Follow the Conversation on Twitter