When Keith Ellison arrives at the Karmel Square, one of Minneapolis's Somali malls, a rock star might as well be walking by the bustling stalls of bright fabrics, jewelry, phone cards, and videos.

People laugh and cheer as they hug Mr. Ellison and pat him on the back. Some speak quickly in Somali as an interpreter translates, and others offer congratulations in fluent English.

"Asalamu aleikum, brothers," Ellison says with a smile. "Thanks for voting."

He is not Somali, or even an immigrant, but for these voters, Ellison is one of their own. After his victory in this month's Democratic primary in the Fifth District, he's likely to become the first Muslim elected to Congress. He would also be the first black congressman to come from Minnesota.

The distinctions are ones Ellison tries to downplay, always directing conversation back to the issues, but national media and many Minnesotans want to talk of little else.

"You think of the stereotype of Minnesota – Garrison Keillor and white Norwegian farmers. The first Muslim congressman coming from Minnesota? It says a lot about the changing face of the United States and Minnesota," says Larry Jacobs, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for the Study of Politics and Governance. "I think it's one of the most interesting races in the country."

It's also been one of the most contentious, with scathing allegations against Ellison coming from conservative bloggers and, most recently, his Republican opponent.

Much of the controversy focuses on his past associations with the Nation of Islam and its leader Louis Farrakhan, considered by many to be racist and antisemitic. He raised money for the Million Man March in 1995 and wrote some articles praising Mr. Farrakhan when he was a student. Ellison says he was never actually a member of the Nation of Islam, and that he became disenchanted with Farrakhan when he realized what he stood for.

Ellison has also been questioned over revelations that his driver's license was twice suspended, most recently this spring, over unpaid parking and speeding tickets, and that he's filed taxes and campaign-finance disclosures late.

"There's a pattern of behavior here that should really make us question the character and integrity of this person," says Alan Fine, his Republican opponent and a professor at the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. "This has never been about race or religion – it has to do with people who choose to be part of a hate group, and associate with people who promote hatred toward others.... I'd like to know when he realized Louis Farrakhan was a racist."

Since none of the allegations are new – they were all out there during the primary as well – they're unlikely to derail a campaign that seems headed to victory. But some observers say the state GOP hopes to highlight the controversy in order to make gains in other elections.

"There's a broader statewide Republican strategy here, attempting to brand Democrats as the party of Keith Ellison in order to make Republicans statewide seem more appealing," says Steven Schier, a political science professor at Carleton College in Northfield, Minn. "They're trying to suggest guilt by association for all major Democratic candidates."

Ellison, who grew up a Catholic in Detroit and moved to Minnesota to go to law school, brushes off such criticisms as fearmongering by some conservatives – an effort to derail a progressive campaign and divide voters.

He's at ease and eloquent mingling with a wide variety of voters, and these days, his talk is primarily about inclusiveness and the need to listen. In his campaign, he eschewed tactics like TV advertising in favor of grass-roots efforts to get out the vote and reach out to a variety of constituencies.

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