In this July 25, 2016, file photo, Rep. Keith Ellison speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press
Rep. Keith Ellison is announcing his candidacy for chairman of the Democratic National Committee, joining a crowded bench of candidates trying to head the party.
The Minnesota congressman says Democrats must "begin the rebuilding process now." He's promising to build a broader bench of federal, state and local candidates. Ellison says Democrats need a "robust party organization in every state."
Ellison has attracted support from high-profile backers including Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and his expected replacement, Sen. Chuck Schumer.
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He was the first Muslim-American elected to Congress.
With Democrats losing the White House and Congress – and likely the ideological tilt of the Supreme Court – the new DNC chief will likely be one of the party's most visible faces.