Republicans to challenge Ellison, McCollum

Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum have seen Republican challengers announce their candidacies over the last two weeks. In Ellison's 5th district, comprising Minneapolis and several inner ring suburbs, an ordained minister named Barb Davis White announced last week that she will seek the Republican nomination. Meanwhile Ed Matthews, a defense attorney and certified public accountant, and Iraq War vet John Meyer (a Hamline University student and past treasurer of the Minnesota College Republicans) are competing for the Republican party endorsement to face off against McCollum in the 4th district.

White has been outspoken in her opposition to equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Minnesotans.

"I'm angrily trying to adjust to the whole idea of the homosexual community trying to ride on the back of the civil rights movement,'' she told the Pioneer Press in November 2005 after headlining a pastor's summit hosted by the Minnesota Family Council. "I'm a Bible-preaching pastor, and homosexuality is still listed as a sin in the Bible. It's not a matter of my just having an intolerance, but my whole premise for participating [in the summit] is because the African-American family is already dying with two women--usually mothers and grandmothers--leading families because their fathers are gone. And the family is disintegrating.''

Judging by her campaign website, it appears that White will focus heavily on immigration in her campaign. White's opposition to LGBT equality will likely put her at a disadvantage in the district if she gets the GOP's nod. The 5th district ranks in the top 10 in the nation in terms of LGBT voters, not to mention a strong base of voters supportive of LGBT issues.

Neither John Meyer nor Ed Matthews have been elected to public office. Meyer's fledgling website is currently online as is Matthews'. Based on their websites, both candidates seem to be running primarily on tax reform platforms.