MINNEAPOLIMEDIA EDITORIAL | Minneapolis at a Crossroads — Election Day and the Soul of a City

Today, November 4, 2025, Minneapolis stands at a crossroads. Once again, the eyes of the nation are fixed on the city that sparked a global call for justice five years ago. From the corner of 38th and Chicago, where George Floyd took his final breath, to every block still haunted by unhealed wounds, Minneapolis faces a defining question: Will it move forward with courage and moral clarity—or retreat into the comfort of broken promises?

For too many residents, this election feels less like a contest of policies and more like a battle for the city’s conscience. After eight years of Mayor Jacob Frey’s leadership, a growing number of Minneapolis residents say they are exhausted—tired of words without change, of polished statements that mask persistent inequities, of a city government that too often listens to power before people.

The revocation of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) endorsement of State Senator Omar Fateh—following heavy pressure from Frey’s backers and party insiders—has only deepened the sense of disillusionment. The move was not just political; it was moral. It showed how far the entrenched establishment will go to protect its hold on power, even if it means silencing the progressive voices calling for transparency, justice, and inclusion.

A Party Divided, A City Tested

When the DFL abruptly stripped Fateh of his endorsement—citing procedural reasons few found convincing—it exposed the widening chasm between the party’s progressive base and its old guard. Fateh’s campaign had energized working-class, immigrant, and Black voters who saw in him a chance for genuine change. But his removal under pressure from longtime power brokers like Lisa Goodman, who reportedly withheld support unless Fateh was sidelined, sent a chilling message: the political establishment would rather fracture democracy than share it.

The question for voters today is simple yet profound: Will Minneapolis allow fear to dictate its future, or will it stand up for the kind of democracy its residents have been demanding since 2020?

Encampments, Injustice, and the Politics of Displacement

The struggles of the unhoused have once again become a moral mirror for this city. Violent encounters at encampments and forced clearances have turned the crisis of homelessness into a symbol of failed compassion. Mayor Frey defends these sweeps as necessary for safety and order, yet the images of residents’ belongings being bulldozed—while affordable housing remains scarce—tell another story.

In a city that prides itself on progress, how can we justify displacing the most vulnerable while luxury apartments rise on every corner? This election is a referendum on that contradiction.

Policing and the Unkept Promises of Reform

Minneapolis cannot talk about leadership without confronting its relationship with policing. In the wake of George Floyd’s murder, Frey promised sweeping reforms. He vowed accountability, transparency, and a new era of public safety. Yet five years later, the community still mourns names like Amir Locke—killed in a no-knock raid that Frey had publicly claimed to ban.

When his administration’s “ban” turned out to be partial and ambiguous, the mayor blamed “brevity.” But for families who have buried loved ones, brevity is not an excuse—it’s betrayal. The Department of Justice’s cancellation of a consent decree has left the task of reform squarely on the city’s shoulders. Minneapolis now needs a leader who will not flinch, who will confront police unions, rebuild trust with residents, and prove that justice here is more than a slogan on a mural.

Equity, Economics, and Who the City Works For

This election is also about equity—about who thrives and who is left behind. Frey’s record is filled with missed opportunities: vetoing rent control measures, opposing better wages for Uber and Lyft drivers (most of whom are immigrants and people of color), and obstructing community-led environmental projects like the East Phillips Urban Farm.

When a mayor chooses corporate convenience over community voices, the message is clear—power is being hoarded, not shared. Minneapolis deserves leadership that invests in the people who make the city work, not those who profit from it.

Leadership or Control?

Frey’s governing style has long been marked by tension and mistrust. His frequent clashes with the City Council—many of whom are women and people of color—have created a toxic atmosphere that stifles collaboration. Instead of building bridges, the mayor has wielded his veto pen against progress: on rent control, worker protections, and public space preservation at George Floyd Square.

The result? A city paralyzed by caution, ruled more by calculation than compassion. Minneapolis needs a mayor who can unite, not divide; who governs through listening, not through silencing.

A Call to Remember—and to Act

Minneapolis cannot afford collective amnesia. Residents must remember the haunting nights of 2020, when smoke rose above Lake Street and the world cried out, “Enough.” They must remember the promises made amid the ashes—promises of reform, of racial equity, of rebuilding a city that works for all.

Five years later, the test is here. Today’s vote is not only about who will occupy City Hall—it’s about what kind of city Minneapolis wants to be. Will it remain trapped in cycles of performative leadership, or will it finally embrace the hard, honest work of justice and renewal?

The people of Minneapolis deserve a government that listens, that leads with empathy, and that refuses to weaponize bureaucracy against its own citizens. The time for excuses has passed. The city’s wounds will not heal through speeches or slogans—they will heal through action, accountability, and courage.

The Choice Before Us

As the polls open today, every voter carries a piece of Minneapolis’s moral legacy. The world still looks to this city as the birthplace of a movement. Let it also become the birthplace of a new kind of politics—one rooted in truth, equity, and shared humanity.

Vote today for progress. Vote for the Minneapolis that believes in justice, that honors its promises, and that dares to heal. The nation is watching once again—not just to see who wins, but to see whether this city can finally live up to the values it once inspired in millions around the world.

MinneapoliMedia