Minneapolis Mayor Frey fended off progressive challengers Tuesday to win his third term as the city’s leader.
The selective election begins with a second round of elections after no candidate leads 50% in the first round. Frey got the most votes in the second round, leading him to Omar Fateh, a state senator challenged from the left, according to Minneapolis elections and Voter services.
Following the rise of Zohran Mamdani in New York City, Fateh, 35, has drawn attention for those familiar with Mamdani’s policy and alignment. Both are democratic socialists who focus on local DSA chapters to knock on doors and reach out to voters.
Fifteen people are running in the Minneapolis election for Mayor, with three Democratic candidates coming out on top of the pile. Fateh is the frontrunning challenger, with lawyer Jazz Hampton and Minister Dewayne Daveyne carrying their own constituencies. The three comforters form an alliance of sorts, reflecting the events of each. Fateh said voters did not rank Jacob Frey on their ballots, while Hampton and Davis disagreed with the strategy.
Instead of a Primary, Minneapolis holds caucuses and a city convention. Fateh won the endorsement of the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party at the City Convention earlier this year, but before vomit in the state party after the electronic voting system failed to capture all the votes in the contest, the Minneapolis DFL RECOGNIZEDleaving the race without an endorsed candidate. Fateh said the change was due to politics and construction protection.
Frey, 44, faces challenges this year as he runs for a third term. His critics spoke of his handling of the protests that followed the killing of George Floyd in 2020, constant problems with enforcement, a crisis in the homeless shelter in the City Council. Frey often served as a moderate check on the council, which included many democratic socialists. He had a financial advantage in the race, receiving support from the city’s business establishment.
Fateh’s platform includes raising the minimum wage to $20 an hour, a plan for hiring to fund alternatives to the police for mental health crises, and standing up to Trump. Six of the 13 members of the Council backed him, prominent unions said.
All of the mayoral candidates say that as a progressive city, standing up to Trump is part of the mayor’s job. Frey has defended its ordinance that prevents city employees, including police, from participating in immigration enforcement, but others want to see him go.