Omar Fateh (left), Mayor Jacob Frey (right)
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) Party has withdrawn its endorsement of state senator Omar Fateh in the Minneapolis mayoral race, citing irregularities at last month’s city convention. Fateh, a 35-year-old Somali American and democratic socialist, had stunned party insiders in July by winning more than 60% of delegate support, defeating incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey for the DFL’s backing. But on Thursday, state party chair Richard Carlbom said a review by the DFL’s Constitution, Bylaws & Rules Committee uncovered “substantial failures” in the convention’s voting process. “A mayoral candidate was errantly eliminated from contention,” Carlbom said, calling for “unity and a focus on electing DFL leaders.” The probe found nearly 200 missing votes, a lost ward credentials book and security lapses in the electronic voting system, which Frey’s campaign had earlier challenged as “highly flawed and untested.” As a result, the Minneapolis DFL was stripped of its authority to endorse a mayoral candidate this year and placed on two-year probation. All candidates will now have equal access to party voter rolls, which are typically reserved for endorsed nominees. Frey welcomed the move, saying, “I am proud to be a member of a party that believes in correcting our mistakes … the outcome now rests squarely where it should — with all the people of Minneapolis.” Fateh, however, condemned the decision as a power grab by party insiders. “Twenty-eight party insiders voted to take away our endorsement behind closed doors,” he said in a video statement, accusing Frey’s supporters and donors of influencing the process. “This is exactly what Minneapolis voters are sick of … Let me be clear. We’re still in this fight, and we’re going to win.” Frey, first elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2021, faced criticism over his handling of the city’s unrest following George Floyd’s killing in 2020. Fateh’s insurgent campaign had drawn parallels to progressive upsets elsewhere, including Zohran Mamdani’s recent victory in New York’s Democratic primary.
