State Sen. Omar Fateh Secures DFL Endorsement In Minneapolis Mayoral Race

State Sen. Omar Fateh Secures DFL Endorsement In Minneapolis Mayoral Race

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – July 20, 2025 – State Senator Omar Fateh has officially won the Minneapolis DFL Party's endorsement for the upcoming mayoral election, a significant victory that could reshape the city's political landscape. The endorsement was confirmed by

Minneapolis DFL Chair John Maraist late Saturday night at the conclusion of a convention that saw intense campaigning and strategic maneuvering by a field of five nominated candidates.

Fateh secured the party's backing through a show of badges, signaling a decisive shift within the Minneapolis DFL. This marks a notable moment, as a DFL mayoral candidate has not received the party's official endorsement since 2009, with incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey having won his previous terms without it.

The outcome immediately drew sharp criticism from Mayor Jacob Frey's campaign, which released a statement expressing dissatisfaction with the convention's proceedings. "This election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates, particularly in light of the extremely flawed and irregular conduct of this convention," said Frey's campaign manager. The statement further indicated that voters would now have a "clear choice between the records and leadership of Sen. Fateh and Mayor Frey," and confirmed their intent to submit a formal challenge to the DFL.

The convention, held at Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, had been underway since Saturday morning, with approximately 800 delegates gathered to cast their votes. A candidate typically needs to secure 60% of the delegate votes to win the party's endorsement, a threshold that often proves challenging to meet, leading to "no endorsement" outcomes in past mayoral races.

Beyond Fateh and Frey, the field of nominated mayoral candidates included attorney and business owner Jazz Hampton, Northside Rev. Dr. DeWayne Davis, and South Minneapolis community activist Brenda Short. While all five presented their visions, Senator Fateh and Mayor Frey emerged as the apparent frontrunners.

Senator Fateh, a self-declared democratic socialist, garnered strong support from delegates who lauded his advocacy for union workers and humane policies addressing homelessness. His campaign received a prominent boost from a video-recorded endorsement by fellow State Senator John Hoffman. Senator Hoffman is currently recovering at a rehabilitation center after sustaining injuries in a targeted attack in June 2025 that also tragically resulted in the deaths of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband.

For supporters like delegate Colton Baldus, Fateh's endorsement signals a positive trajectory for the city's DFL. "People are starting to accept, you know, some more socialist and more, you know, to the left politics, which, in my view, is a good thing. It’s a progressive thing," Baldus stated. "It means that we’re starting to, I don’t know, put our weight in, and become more and more, you know, worker-centered in our politics, and I think that’s a very good thing."

Mayor Frey, seeking a third term, presented himself as the more moderate candidate, with key backing from Red Lake Nation Secretary Sam Strong and Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, both of whom spoke in his favor on stage. Delegate Matt Saxe, a supporter of Frey, highlighted the mayor's "progressive on economics" stance. "He understands that people are getting squeezed in this city, and that is one of the things he’s focusing on. I think he’s been doing a good job so far, and the idea is to keep down property taxes and not fall into this repressive taxation the current federal administration is trying to foist on the entire country," Saxe commented.

The DFL endorsement offers significant advantages in Minneapolis's officially non-partisan municipal elections, often providing a campaign with crucial organizational support and voter mobilization infrastructure. The challenge now for both Senator Fateh and Mayor Frey will be to translate their respective levels of party support and broader public appeal into votes as the November general election approaches.

MinneapoliMedia