VIDEO: Rep. Ellison Mostly Onboard with President Obama's Jobs Plan

U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Fridley's representative in Congress, made his views on President Barack Obama's speech to Congress Thursday—before and after the speech.

First Ellison co-wrote a column that appeared in Politico calling for "A Big, Bold Jobs Plan." An excerpt:

It’s an article of faith among most economists that a recession calls not for belt-tightening but for an increase in federal investment to stimulate consumer demand and give the economy the jolt it needs.

It was not all talk from Ellison. He also introduced a bill he called the “Emergency Jobs Now Act” (see and ).

After the president's speech, Ellison took to cable TV to press his case. He told host Keith Olbermann that Obama should not have included cuts to Medicare and Social Security in his job-creation proposal ().

But he also told MSNBC's Ed Schultz, "At this point we're going to push hard and hope for the best."

And Minnesota Public Radio quoted Ellison pledging support for Obama's bill: "I like most of what I heard, and I'm ready to vote for the American Jobs Act." (Ellison added, "There was stuff in there Republicans clapped for.")

On View in Mumbai

Meanwhile, Ellison's image also appears halfway around the world, in a first-of-its-kind photo exhibit called "Islam in America" at the Haji Ali Dargah mosque and tomb in Mumbai, India.

Ellison's Muslim faith is also the subject of an MPR report with a 9/11 theme.

Growing Field

Ellison has gained a new challenger: former Marine Chris Fields told MPR he will seek the Republican endorsement in the 2012 Fifth District race.

, who ran against Ellison as an independent in 2010, pledged in June at TeaPartyNation.com to seek the GOP nod for the seat next year. She told Patch her official announcement will come Sunday, Sept. 11.