To: Governor Tim Walz

Gov. Dayton: Appoint Keith Ellison for U.S. Senate

Dear Gov. Dayton:

As you deliberate on filling a vacancy in the Senate, we respectfully urge you to appoint a stalwart champion for working families, Congressman Keith Ellison, to serve in the U.S. Senate. The challenges and aspirations of people from all walks of life is at the forefront of his mind as he serves with distinction in the House of Representatives. His tireless advocacy for equality, justice, and peace has inspired hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans to become newly engaged and active in the political process. That includes his record of success mobilizing millennials, who, as a third of the voting population in Minnesota, have the power to deliver resounding Democratic victories at the ballot box.

When Keith Ellison was elected to Congress in 2006, the Fifth Congressional District had the lowest voter turnout in Minnesota. Over five re-election campaigns, Keith has inspired a grassroots organizing campaign that transformed his district into the highest-performing district in the state, which has helped drive the electoral success of other Minnesota Democrats. Given that the official you appoint to the Senate would have to compete in a special election in November 2018, it is particularly noteworthy that Keith's was the only district in the state where turnout numbers grew by wide margins in 2010 and 2014, off-election years without presidential races on the ballots. In this dangerous era of Donald Trump, our state cannot afford to forgo the opportunity to harness the democratic energies that Rep. Ellison would unleash as U.S. Senator.

Keith Ellison is the rare lawmaker who doubles as a visionary organizer. His lifelong commitment to dignified livelihoods for all make him best positioned to bring Minnesotans of all walks of life together to build and sustain the popular energy needed to defeat the disastrous Republican agenda. Keith has been unwaveringly invested in the struggles of blue-collar workers attempting to make ends meet, communities of color and immigrant families confronting discrimination, LGBT members and women fighting for equality, and environmental activists defending the health of our people and planet. He has garnered national recognition for his leadership in promoting diplomacy and peace, from playing a lead role on Capitol Hill to uphold the Iran nuclear agreement, to reining in endless U.S. wars, and standing up for refugees and other vulnerable populations around the globe.

Keith’s remarkable career of grassroots organizing, creative policy advocacy, and powerful electoral victories owe to a simple philosophy: “I don’t care about odds,” he said in describing his successful 2012 campaign against Minnesota Republicans’ voter suppression efforts. “I care about what’s right and what’s wrong.” This is exactly the vision we need at this moment of crisis in American democracy. We ask that you appoint Keith Ellison to serve Minnesota in the U.S. Senate.

Why is this important?

As a born and raised Minnesotan, I want to ensure that we will be represented in the U.S. Senate by someone who will stand up for Minnesotans from all walks of life. Keith Ellison is the right candidate for the job, given his leadership in fighting for working families, peace and justice, and a brighter future for Minnesota and the planet.