Frey gets another term in Minneapolis, vows city is ‘on the verge of a great comeback’

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has won a third term in office, staving off the challenge by democratic socialist Omar Fateh.

Frey was declared the winner Wednesday after ballots were retabulated in the ranked-choice election. The contest drew record participation: 55% of the city’s registered voters, breaking the 54% mark set in 2021.

Running on a vow that the city is on the upswing after two tumultuous terms, Frey won 42% of the first-choice votes, followed by Fateh with 32%, former pastor DeWayne Davis with 14% and entrepreneur Jazz Hampton with 10%.

Because nobody won a majority (more than 50%) in the first round of counting Tuesday, election officials on Wednesday eliminated the candidates who mathematically could not win, and their ballots were transferred to the next ranked choice. The process of elimination continued until Frey won a majority.

In a news conference Wednesday, Frey struck an optimistic tone about working with the somewhat reconstituted City Council, signaling a desire to move past years of tension at City Hall.

Frey also highlighted the decisive nature of his win. “This was the first election since 2009 where the winner got more than 50% of the vote,” he said.

He called it a sign of renewed trust from Minneapolis residents.

The challenge to Frey came from his left, chiefly by Fateh, a 35-year-old state senator in his second term.

Fateh quickly ascended in the past five years to become the top alternative, winning a short-lived endorsement from Minneapolis Democrats in July. That brought national attention as people drew comparisons to Zohran Mamdani, who was overwhelmingly elected Tuesday as New York City’s mayor: Both are in their 30s, Muslim, state lawmakers and democratic socialists who took on established figures.

Like Mamdani, Fateh promised to make Minneapolis more affordable through rent control, a $20 minimum wage and perhaps an income tax on the wealthy. Fateh said he would enact real police reform and take a more humane approach to homeless encampments — and stop “bulldozing” them.

Fateh released a statement Wednesday thanking those who “believed in this scrappy campaign” and a more affordable, accountable city.

“This campaign was about the kind of Minneapolis that gives you every tool to spread your wings and enough support to lift you up if you stumble,” he said.

“I know that I, alongside the renters, the workers, the families, the people of this city who were long left behind, built something money can’t buy: people power. We built a campaign rooted in dignity, in care, and in courage.”

Hampton said he called Frey to congratulate him and wish him “all the luck” in moving the city in the right direction. He said the fact that half his voters also supported Frey and half supported Fateh “speaks to the bridge-building” he strove for. He added that he’s been “bitten by the bug,” enjoyed the process, and is “absolutely open to a future in this space.”

“I really loved it,” he said.

Davis said he also called Frey to wish him well and told him Minneapolis residents “are depending on him to show up better and differently.”

“I want him to succeed,” he said. “Our city needs our leaders to succeed.”

“My task and my calling in the next few years is to find out the best way to be an agent of restoring and protecting our democracy,” he said. “I guarantee you that this is the work of my life.”

Democratic socialists will still be a powerful presence at City Hall: Three incumbent democratic socialists were re-elected — Robin Wonsley, Aisha Chughtai and Jason Chavez — as well as a fourth, Aurin Chowdhury, who was elected as a democratic socialist but no longer identifies as one. A fifth was elected to fill a vacant Ward 8 seat: Soren Stevenson, who narrowly lost two years ago to a moderate aligned with Frey, Andrea Jenkins.

Since a more-progressive bloc took control of the council two years ago, its members have publicly butted heads with the more-moderate council members and Frey.

However, the left wing lost a frequent ally, Katie Cashman, who was defeated by the more-moderate Park Board member Elizabeth Shaffer. Council Member Jamal Osman cruised to re-election but promised Tuesday night to be a swing vote. That means the more-progressive wing of the 13-member council may often get Osman’s vote but no longer can count on a veto-proof majority.

Last year, the council overrode Frey’s vetoes of a minimum pay rate for rideshare drivers, an Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution and a carbon emissions fee.

“I think Osman’s gonna vote with who can get things done,” he said.

The council and mayor’s frequent clashes were a big topic in the campaign and with voters interviewed on Election Day. Frey said voters made a statement about what kind of leadership they value — not extremism or division, but “good, thoughtful governance, where you work with your constituents and you love your city more than your ideology.”

The council members who are most decidedly to the left often say Frey is the one who refuses to work with them.

Frey said he’s ready to collaborate after the divisive campaign.

“I will work in good faith with anyone that will work in good faith with me,” he said, echoing past statements. “I’m optimistic. When you finish an election and start a new term, you should do everything possible to start afresh.”

Property managers, landlords and developers pumped their money into political action committees aligned with Frey. The top three PACS had raised $1.6 million as of Oct. 20, dwarfing the $352,000 raised by a competing, more-progressive PAC.

Pro-Frey PACs sent flyers and bought social media ads portraying Fateh as dishonest, untrustworthy and tied to corruption, noting his frequent brushes with scandal, which were the subject of two Senate ethics investigations.

On Tuesday night, Fateh noted the significant outside spending pumped into the race and said his wife had to endure baseless attacks.

“This campaign has always belonged to the families from Hennepin to Central, from Lake Street to Little Earth,” he said. “It’s for new immigrants navigating an unfamiliar land and to the college kid counting nickels and dimes to grab a bite to eat between classes.”

Looking ahead, Frey said his administration and the incoming council will focus on both sweeping and immediate goals.

“This city is on the verge of a great comeback,” Frey said.