Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Re-Elected
On Tuesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey countered a challenge from Democratic Socialist Omar Fateh, whose left-leaning proposals have drawn comparisons to Zoran Mamdani.
Frey, now 44, gained national attention in 2020 during the unrest following George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer. In the recent election, he secured 41.8% of the first-place votes, while Fateh came in second with 31.7%.
With Minneapolis implementing ranked-choice voting, Frey achieved a majority with 44.4% in the third round on Wednesday. Initially, the city’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) had endorsed 35-year-old Fateh, the first Somali-American and Muslim in the Minnesota state Senate.
However, Frey contested this support, leading to a controversy that resulted in the DFL’s Charter, Bylaws and Rules Committee retracting their endorsement of Fateh.
Frey faced criticism from progressives for not fully advocating to defund the police following Floyd’s death, yet he has consistently promoted his progressive stance throughout his time in office.
In March, alongside state Democratic leaders, including “Squad” member Rep. Ilhan Omar, Frey assured that Minneapolis would remain a safe space for undocumented immigrants despite the Trump administration’s immigration measures.
“I want everyone to know exactly where we are in terms of our neighbors. Minneapolis will continue to be a safe haven for illegal immigrants,” he stated, emphasizing that local police would not investigate or arrest individuals solely for their immigration status.
Following a tragic mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in August, committed by a transgender gunman, Frey publicly supported the transgender community, denouncing the hate aimed at them. “Anyone who is using this as an opportunity to demonize our trans community or any other community is losing their common humanity,” he remarked.
Fateh, also a young socialist Muslim, shares similarities with Mamdani, promoting progressive agendas. He has committed to raising the minimum wage and enhancing affordable housing options, criticizing the police department and advocating for community-led initiatives to replace certain police functions. Furthermore, he plans to alert undocumented immigrants about impending ICE raids in the city.
Besides Frey and Fateh, several other candidates participated in the election: Andrea Revell, Troy Peterson, Kevin Ward, Xavier Polk, Adam Turzich, Kevin A. Dwyer, Charlie MacLeod, Alejandro Richardson, Laverne Turner, Jeffrey Wagner, Dwayne Davis, Jazz Hampton, and Brenda Short.
