MinnesotaâÄôs Fifth Congressional District encompasses an extraordinary diversity of citizens. Minneapolis and its immediate suburbs contain some of the stateâÄôs richest and poorest people, many invaluable communities of immigrants and refugees, a number of religious traditions, and several institutions of higher learning, including the University of Minnesota. Democratic Congressman Keith Ellison has been and continues to be the right candidate to champion the interests of this unique district in the House of Representatives.

We are immensely proud that Ellison, who is the first Muslim member of Congress and MinnesotaâÄôs first black member of the House, has represented our state with compassion, tolerance and equanimity in an age of partisan rancor and Islamophobia. He has been a steadfast defender of peace, equal rights and intercultural understanding. His very presence in the Congress is a signal that American politics is capable of rising above its lesser instincts.

But Ellison is no mere symbol; he works hard to do the right thing. His job record since his 2006 election to the House shows a relentless dedication to service âÄî not of an ideology, but of his flesh-and-blood constituency. Time and again, he has authored and supported legislation that has the best interest of Minneapolitans at heart, including student loan reform, antidiscrimination laws and national same-day voter registration.

EllisonâÄôs landslide victory in the 2008 election was an overwhelming recognition that he is uniquely suited to the work of representing this singular congressional district. We urge our readers to reiterate that strong call to service next week.