First Muslim Congressman Elected

November 8, 2006

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6127234.stm

Keith Ellison, a Democrat, has become the first Muslim to be elected to the US Congress by winning a Minnesota seat in the House of Representatives.

He overcame personal attacks emphasising his past association with Louis Farrakhan, leader of the radical Nation of Islam group.

The 43-year-old lawyer sought to play down the issue of his religion and ran on a populist platform.

He has called for the immediate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

On the campaign trail, he also urged a greater reliance on renewable fuels and the establishment of a government-funded universal healthcare system.