Ellison to Face Primary Challenge from White

Barb Davis White has filed as a DFL candidate in CD5:

By filing as a Democrat just moments before the deadline, Davis White set in motion the requirement for a primary election to determine whether or not Ellison will have the opportunity to be on the ballot in the general election this November. The primary, to be held in early August, will give Minnesota’s 5th district a choice of which Democratic candidate will be listed on the ballot, and Davis White’s belief is that it will be hers.

Davis White previously sought the Minnesota Independence Party endorsement. When no one candidate obtained the necessary 60% of delegate votes at the nominating convention on May 20, Davis White began the process of obtaining petition signatures from residents of the district in which she is seeking to represent. While gathering petition signatures, however, Davis White became convinced that there was a more courageous alternative.

“All I had to do was listen to what my neighbors were telling me. Hundreds of signatures were obtained in the past few days – certainly enough to meet the 1,000 needed for filing as an independent candidate – but what struck me was how many registered Democrats signed the petition knowing that I am a pro-life, conservative constitutionalist. It didn’t seem to matter as long as they knew I was running against Keith (Ellison). What I heard loud and clear was that the 5th District wants a choice in candidates, so I’m giving it to them. I’m not running for a political party – I’m running for the people of the 5th district.”

When I met Barb a few years back, she described herself as, “a black lady from the northside named White who is pastor of a gay church in south Minneapolis.”

She’s an iconoclast, and a bit of a loudmouth. But she knows her principles and can present them well. Filing as a Democrat is certain to give her more exposure than shouting from the minor-party wilderness.

This could be fun!