Few races for state attorney general receive or merit national attention. In yesterday’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor party primary, however, 5^th District Rep. Keith Ellison defeated the endorsed DFL candidate and other contenders to run as the party’s candidate for the job. In addition to his day job in Congress, Ellison also moonlights as vice chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He has been a national figure since he became the first Muslim elected to Congress in 2006. He is stepping down from a secure congressional seat he won in 2006 to seek the office of Minnesota attorney general. Ellison’s candidacy should make the race of national interest. Something is happening here.

Despite its reputation as a liberal state, Democrats and Republicans have successfully competed at both the gubernatorial and legislative level in Minnesota over the years. Democrat Mark Dayton is completing his second term as Minnesota governor after Republican Tim Pawlenty’s two terms. Republicans currently control both houses of the Minnesota legislature. Yet no Republican has been elected to the office of Minnesota attorney general since 1966, or roughly since the memory of man runneth not to the contrary.