No Clear Winner In Minneapolis Mayoral Race As Left-Wing Challenger Rises

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey projected confidence Tuesday night as early results placed him ahead in the city’s crowded mayoral race, though he stopped short of declaring outright victory.

Frey told supporters he was “well in the lead” after first-choice votes showed him taking roughly 42% of the vote, compared to 32% for State Sen. Omar Fateh, according to results from the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office. Under the city’s ranked-choice voting system, second-choice votes will be tallied Wednesday to determine whether either candidate surpasses the 50% threshold required to win.

“This city showed up once again,” Frey said to a cheering crowd. “We got what appears to be record turnout, and I’ll tell you what — it looks damn good for us.”

Both Frey and Fateh are Democrats, but they represent sharply different visions for Minneapolis. Fateh, who initially earned the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s endorsement before it was later revoked, campaigned on a progressive platform that emphasized police reform and expanded social programs. Frey, by contrast, has positioned himself as a pragmatic leader focused on public safety and economic revitalization following years of unrest and declining business confidence.

“Tonight, we stay patient,” Fateh told supporters at his watch party. “We stay proud because this campaign has already changed the conversation for what Minneapolis can be.”

Fifteen candidates appeared on the ballot, though the race has long been viewed as a two-way contest between Frey and Fateh. Pastor DeWayne Davis and attorney Jazz Hampton, both considered long-shot contenders, drew 14% and 10% of first-choice votes respectively, according to unofficial results.

Between photo ops with supporters, Frey told Sahan Journal that Minneapolis was finally beginning to recover after years of crisis. “The last five years have been heavy, to say the least,” he said. “But our city is resilient, persistent, filled with grit, and we’re experiencing this beautiful comeback right now.”

“I want to be part of making this a place we’re all proud to call home,” Frey added, noting that his parents, who recently moved to Minneapolis, were able to vote for him for the first time.

However, Frey also reignited controversy by taking a direct swipe at President Donald Trump over immigration enforcement. Despite the city’s sanctuary policies — which prohibit local police from cooperating with federal immigration authorities — Frey defiantly told Sahan Journal:

“President Donald Trump is going to have to come through me and 435,000 other people that are standing up for undocumented immigrants and our LGBTQ community, and anybody else that he’s going to come at.”

The remark drew sharp criticism from conservatives, who argue that Frey’s defiance of federal immigration law exemplifies the dangers of sanctuary city policies — particularly amid rising crime and strained local resources.

Around 9:30 p.m., Frey’s supporters erupted in celebration as updated returns confirmed his lead. Members of Minneapolis’ Somali community tracked results on their phones while others embraced and made video calls to share the news.

Taking the stage later that night to chants of “Jacob! Jacob! Jacob!”, Frey called the night’s showing a “comeback.”

“I am failing to find the words to signify how important this is,” Frey said. “We’re going to make sure that Minneapolis is broadly recognized as the number one housing city in the entire country, where everybody has a foundation of a home from which they can rise.”

Frey added that public safety remains his top priority: “We’re going to make sure that we have a foundation of safety in every neighborhood, in every zip code of this entire city.”