MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey faces a steep challenge in Tuesday’s election from a democratic socialist, a race that highlights different visions of how to govern a liberal city grappling with persistent issues related to policing, crime, and homelessness.
Frey, who is seeking a third term, is under fire from the left by state Sen. Omar Fateh, who hopes to become Minneapolis’ first Muslim and Somali American mayor. Fateh has drawn comparisons to Zohran Mamdani, the socialist winner of New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary, due to their shared immigrant backgrounds and ideological similarities. Both come from immigrant families, although Fateh, a member of Minneapolis’ large Somali American community, was born in the U.S.
While there are 15 candidates on the ballot, the only others who have raised significant funds are the Rev. DeWayne Davis and businessman Jazz Hampton. Both are seen as positioned left of Frey but to the right of Fateh. No candidates list themselves as Republicans in this heavily Democratic city, although Laverne Turner, a candidate with a GOP background, is running a low-key campaign as an independent.
Minneapolis uses ranked-choice voting instead of traditional party primaries. If no candidate wins an outright majority in the first round on Tuesday night, election officials will begin eliminating lower-finishing candidates and reallocating second- and third-choice votes through successive rounds on Wednesday until a winner emerges.
Fateh, Davis, and Hampton have formed an alliance, urging their supporters to rank each other highly—while excluding Frey—to make it more difficult for the incumbent to reach the 50% vote threshold.
Frey led Minneapolis through the turmoil following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white officer pinned his neck to the pavement with a knee for nine and a half minutes. Though Frey faced heavy criticism during that period, his administration later negotiated agreements with state and federal governments to reform a police department that lost hundreds of officers in the aftermath of Floyd’s death.
Fateh has distanced himself from his early support of the “defund the police” movement but backed a 2021 ballot measure aimed at reimagining public safety—a measure opposed by Frey and ultimately rejected by voters. Fateh continues to stress the need for alternatives to conventional policing, while Frey maintains the city is already implementing such alternatives.
The ideological divisions between the two candidates extend to housing and other key issues. Frey opposes rent control, whereas Fateh advocates some form of rent stabilization, though he remains non-specific on the details. Fateh is also critical of how Frey’s administration has approached the shutdown of homeless camps.
Fateh has championed the rights of Uber and Lyft drivers at the state legislature. Frey vetoed a City Council attempt to raise their wages after the ride-share companies threatened to exit the city. Fateh later used his influence to negotiate a compromise at the state level.
On foreign policy, Fateh, like Mamdani in New York, is a vocal critic of how Israel conducted the war in Gaza. Frey, who is Jewish, vetoed a City Council ceasefire resolution he considered one-sided.
All leading candidates have pledged to stand firm against former President Donald Trump and to resist attempts to undermine Minneapolis’ status as a sanctuary city. They also oppose any efforts to send federal troops into the city.
The election marks a critical moment for Minneapolis as it wrestles with its future direction on policing, housing, and community relations in a deeply divided political landscape.
https://ktar.com/national-news/minneapolis-mayor-jacob-frey-seeks-to-fend-off-democratic-socialists-challenge-in-a-crowded-race/5770096/