Minnesota Democrats mum on Minneapolis mayoral race after Omar Fateh wins DFL endorsement

The Minneapolis DFL’s endorsement of state Sen. Omar Fateh for mayor — the first mayoral endorsement by the local party in 16 years — is teeing up a competitive race between Democrats’ moderate and progressive wings.

Mayor Jacob Frey’s campaign has appealed the endorsement to the state DFL over alleged issues with the voting process.

So far, at least, few Minnesota Democrats were willing to weigh in on the race, the endorsement or what it all means for the future of the party.

Here’s what Minnesota Democrats have said about the race.

Walz, who has not announced whether he will run for a third term as governor, has yet to endorse a mayoral candidate.

Talking to reporters on Monday after the reopening of the Stone Arch Bridge, he didn’t endorse a candidate but said his experience with Frey, who was also at the event, had been positive.

“We’ll talk and go forward after that, I would just say that I have had the privilege of working with Mayor Frey for quite a few years here,” he said.

Klobuchar previously clashed with progressives over municipal politics in 2021 when she opposed a plan to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a public safety agency.

A spokesperson for Klobuchar’s office confirmed Thursday that she continued to endorse Frey.

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar declined to make an endorsement or say who she would vote for on Wednesday. Omar backed an anyone-but-Frey approach in 2021, endorsing challengers Kate Knuth and Sheila Nezhad.

State lawmakers have been similarly hesitant to weigh in so far.

Fateh’s campaign lists a handful of endorsements from state lawmakers, including an unranked one from Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton. Last year, she chaired the Senate People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, of which Fateh was a member.

“At this point, right now, I haven’t [endorsed him],” she said. “I have endorsed Sen. Fateh in the past, and I’ll continue to support him in the best way that I can.”

Others were even more tentative.

Senate Assistant Majority Leader Nick Frentz, DFL-North Mankato, said he didn’t offer endorsements at all.

Frentz said he wanted to see the DFL endorse candidates who are “respectful of” the party platform, but said they didn’t need to agree with every aspect of it. He added that he is aware that the Democratic Socialists of America, of which Fateh is a member, sometimes disagrees with that platform.

“He and I have not discussed the DFL platform,” Frentz said. “He’s a colleague of mine, but I know the DSA and where they have platform differences, and that’s fine.”