Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey narrowly secured a third term after defeating democratic socialist Omar Fateh and 13 other contenders in the city’s mayoral election. Final but unofficial results showed Frey capturing 50.03% of the vote in the second round, compared to 44.37% for Fateh, who had gained attention for policy proposals mirroring those of New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani.
The city’s ranked-choice voting system required candidates to achieve a 50%-plus-one-vote threshold to win outright. Frey led Fateh by about 10 percentage points after the first round but needed a second tally to clinch victory. Other notable contenders in the 15-candidate field included Rev. DeWayne Davis and businessman Jazz Hampton, though they trailed significantly.
Fateh, a Democratic state senator and first Somali American Muslim to serve in the Minnesota Senate, initially received support from the city’s Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) after their July convention. However, Frey challenged the endorsement, leading to its withdrawal by the DFL’s Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee.
Frey, a mainstream Democrat, has faced criticism for his handling of police reform following the 2020 death of George Floyd but has repeatedly emphasized progressive policies during his tenure. In March, he pledged to maintain Minneapolis as a “safe haven” for undocumented immigrants despite federal crackdowns, vowing that city police would not inquire about immigration status or arrest individuals for being in the country illegally.
