African-American Minnesota Legislator Keith Ellison Slated to Become First Muslim Elected To Congress

In Minnesota, an African-American state legislator who won Tuesday's Democratic primary is slated to become the first Muslim elected to Congress. Keith Ellison defeated three rivals to become the Democratic nominee for the seat of retiring Congressmember Martin Olav Sabo. He will face Republican business consultant Alan Fine in November and is favored to win the heavily Democratic fifth district.

Ellison was raised Catholic in Detroit and converted to Islam as a 19 year-old student at Wayne State University before moving to Minnesota for law school. Lebanese-American pollster John Zogby hailed Ellison's primary win saying, "American Muslims are now a political constituency not just simply a growing group."

* Keith Ellison, Minnesota state legislator and Democratic nominee for Congress in the state's fifth District.

LISTEN ONLINE:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/09/14/1351249