Democrats struggle to move forward in wake of Trump victory

Ellison’s announcement includes endorsements from an assortment of elected officials and party members, including Sens. Tammy Baldwin in a statement.

He just won re-election last week in Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District.

“My friend Keith Ellison is a terrific leader and a strong progressive who knows how to get things done”, Reid said in a statement.

The support of both Reid and Schumer for Ellison potentially signals a change in direction for a party that appears severely bruised in the wake of November 8th’s election upset.

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. listens at right, as Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nev. speaks.

Ellison has reportedly been planning to run for the position since before Election Day and has galvanized support from Sens.

The petition follows revelations that Brazile, as a political analyst for CNN, gave Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign advance notice of questions that would be asked during a Democratic primary debate between Clinton and Sanders, a Vermont independent. “But they need to be a committed progressive”, Booker said. “Do you have a vision to strengthen the grass-roots and help them turn out people in their local communities”, Ellison told NBC’s Meet the Press. A spokeswoman for Rep. Ron Kind said the congressman is not now planning to make an endorsement in the race. They are caught between supporting the Bernie-endorsed Keith Ellison and violating one of their major campaign pledges, or snubbing Bernie and voting for someone else for DNC Chair.

Former DNC Chairman, presidential candidate and Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley are also considering a bid for the post. Ellison would also make history as the first Muslim leader of a national party. Among the most prominent Democrats on the list were Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Senator Chris Murphy of CT. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who resigned amid a scandal surrounding leaked emails.

Yet even before the election results were tallied, the DNC faced several controversies with its former and interim chairs – Rep. He is the first Muslim elected to Congress and the first black congressman from Minnesota. This is a criticism that has also been leveled at the previous DNC chair, Rep.

Ellison is no Obama but he could go a long way toward restoring enthusiasm in the party from the progressive base that was so excited about Bernie Sanders and his dark horse run that ended up coming so close to victory. “I am in for chairman again”, Dean wrote when he announced his bid on Twitter last week.