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WhiskeyGrinder

(25,341 posts)
Sun Jul 20, 2025, 08:53 AM Sunday

Minneapolis DFL convention endorses democratic socialist Omar Fateh for mayor over (incumbent) Jacob Frey

Last edited Sun Jul 20, 2025, 09:36 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.startribune.com/can-minneapolis-dfl-party-find-enough-unity-to-endorse-a-mayoral-candidate/601431524

archive link: https://archive.ph/PFksW

The Democratic party of Minnesota’s largest city has endorsed a democratic socialist over a two-term incumbent mayor, according to Minneapolis DFL convention co-chair Ann Friedrich.

State Sen. Omar Fateh won at least 60% of the Minneapolis DFL delegate vote Saturday, defeating Mayor Jacob Frey in the party’s first endorsement of a mayoral candidate in 16 years, according to an initial announcement by Friedrich. Fateh won by a clear visual vote of delegates holding up their badges.

Many supporters of Frey were visibly absent from the floor at the time of the vote. There were quorum challenges — attempts to question the validity of the endorsement vote — afterward, and the Frey campaign said it plans to appeal to the state party.
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Minneapolis DFL convention endorses democratic socialist Omar Fateh for mayor over (incumbent) Jacob Frey (Original Post) WhiskeyGrinder Sunday OP
Well, this is going to get interesting. MineralMan Sunday #1
Does the DFL endorsement mean Omar Fateh will be the only DFL candidate in the general? Incanus Sunday #2
No. The municipal election is officially nonpartisan, but candidates can seek endorsements. WhiskeyGrinder Sunday #3
See #4. We have ranked choice voting, so he won't be the only candidate. Ocelot II Sunday #5
Great explanation, thanks! Incanus Sunday #6
Since Minneapolis has ranked choice voting, the party endorsement has less influence. Ocelot II Sunday #4

MineralMan

(149,500 posts)
1. Well, this is going to get interesting.
Sun Jul 20, 2025, 09:31 AM
Sunday

That endorsement isn't going to sit well with a lot of Democrats who live in Minneapolis. This is one of those situations where the convention delegates do not necessarily reflect the constituency. The reality is that it could easily lead to a Republican getting elected as Mayor. I doubt that is what is wanted.

Incanus

(92 posts)
2. Does the DFL endorsement mean Omar Fateh will be the only DFL candidate in the general?
Sun Jul 20, 2025, 09:34 AM
Sunday

I have to say the racist attacks on Fateh are even more despicable than usual, many are claiming he's not an American (he was born in Washington DC, his parents are Somali immigrants) and that he's a radical Muslim and a threat.

WhiskeyGrinder

(25,341 posts)
3. No. The municipal election is officially nonpartisan, but candidates can seek endorsements.
Sun Jul 20, 2025, 09:39 AM
Sunday

Ocelot II

(126,094 posts)
4. Since Minneapolis has ranked choice voting, the party endorsement has less influence.
Sun Jul 20, 2025, 10:01 AM
Sunday

If any candidate gets at least 50% of the votes in the first count, they win. If nobody gets 50%, the candidates with no mathematical possibility of winning are eliminated. Then they transfer votes from the eliminated candidates to the next-ranked candidate on those ballots and the votes are tallied again. Fateh supporters are unlikely to list the GOP candidate as any of their choices but unless they totally hate Frey (and some do) they will list him as their second choice, and at some point enough Frey votes would be reallocated to Fateh to put him over the 50% threshold - or the other way around if Frey gets more votes. Minneapolis is very unlikely to elect a GOP mayor so it will come down to Fateh or Frey. The party endorsement could carry some weight as to the ranking of the candidates, but probably not as much as if it were a conventional election.

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