Keith Maurice Ellison (born August 4, 1963) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2019 as the 30th attorney general of Minnesota. A member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Ellison was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district from 2007 to 2019. He served as Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2017 to 2018, and was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007. In Congress, Ellison built a reputation as a progressive leader.
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Ellison moved to Minnesota for law school. In 2002, he was elected to the Minnesota House, where he served two terms before being elected to Congress in 2006. His district included Minneapolis, the state's largest city, and its inner-ring suburbs. In Congress, Ellison was a vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a chief deputy whip. He also sat on the House Committee on Financial Services. Ellison was the first Muslim elected to Congress and the first African American representative from Minnesota.
