First he was in, then he was out, but DFL state Sen. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis said he would run for Congress after all if U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison is selected chair of the Democratic National Committee next month and resigns his seat.
"Sometimes you have an idea, and you change your mind," Dibble said in an interview. "These are big decisions. It's a lot to take on. It's a huge responsibility. It's a big campaign. I needed to be prudent and thoughtful."
Dibble rejoins what is expected to be a crowded race to potentially replace Ellison, who is vying for chair of the Democratic Party. National Democratic party officials are still reeling after suffering major electoral defeats in the last election and are eager for new leadership.
Despite early stumbles over past views deemed by some as anti-Semitic, Ellison is still considered a top contender for the job. He faces stiff competition in outgoing U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, and there are a handful of other contenders for the party post.
Just elected to a fifth term, Dibble was most recently chair of the Minnesota Senate Transportation Committee. He has also served one term in the Minnesota House.
Dibble was legislative sponsor of several high profile bills that became law in recent years, including allowing same-sex marriage in Minnesota, an anti-bullying bill and the state's medical marijuana program.
Among other potential contenders is state Rep. Peggy Flanagan, DFL-St. Louis Park, who said recently she would run if Ellison resigned his seat to serve as DNC chair. Others considering running for the seat include DFL state Sens. Patricia Torres Ray and Jeff Hayden -- both of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis Council Member Alondra Cano, longtime DFL activist Jamal Abdulahi and former GOP congressional candidate, Frank Drake, are also considering entering a race should Ellison step down.
