Rep. Ilhan Omar strongly condemned the state DFL’s decision to revoke the local party’s endorsement of state Sen. Omar Fateh, warning the decision could deepen the divide in the party between progressives and more moderate Democrats.
“It is inexcusable to overturn the results weeks after the convention because board members did not like the outcome,” Omar and the group of more than a dozen elected officials said in a statement. “Not only does this decision set an extremely dangerous precedent, it will undermine the DFL endorsing process going forward and fails to center the will of delegates.”
Fateh, a democratic socialist, won the Minneapolis DFL endorsement in July over Mayor Jacob Frey. Though his victory raised his profile in the race, it also drew dozens of challenges from his opponents over allegations of delays and miscounted votes.
The state DFL’s Constitution, Bylaws and Rules Committee on Thursday released a report that found that the electronic system used by the Minneapolis branch of the party was “substantially flawed.” The first ballot in the mayoral endorsing contest was undercounted by 176 votes, the state party said.
The committee’s decision to revoke Fateh’s endorsement comes as democratic socialist candidates appear to be gaining momentum across the country. Before Fateh’s win, democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani overwhelmingly won the New York City mayoral primary against the incumbent mayor and the state’s former governor.
Omar criticized the state’s new DFL Party chair, Richard Carlbom, saying the decision would split activists and affect campaign efforts.
“Carlbom campaigned on uniting the DFL; this decision directly runs counter to that effort, to which we are all committed,” the statement said. “Minneapolis is the heart of the engine of Democratic turnout in our state. Undoubtedly, this appalling decision will leave many voters feeling discouraged and unwelcome from participating in our party.”
Frey’s campaign pushed back on Omar’s claims.
