"Mamdani of the Midwest": Meet Omar Fateh. Could He Be the Next Mayor of Minneapolis?

[Uncle Joe]

Omar Fateh, the son of Somali immigrants and a democratic socialist, is a leading candidate in the mayoral race in Minneapolis and seeking to unseat incumbent Jacob Frey. Fateh made history in 2020 by becoming the first Muslim and first Somali American to be elected to Minnesota's state Senate. Fateh has run for mayor on a platform advocating for rent stabilization, raising the minimum wage and reforming how the city handles public safety. "Minneapolis can have a different kind of politics," says Fateh. "Five years after the murder of George Floyd, [Mayor Frey] doesn't have a plan, or doesn't intend to have a plan."

[Ocelot II]

1. Minneapolis isn't New York. And Fateh has several progressive competitors.

Last edited Fri Oct 31, 2025, 02:24 PM - Edit history (1)

Fateh has been associated with the defund the police movement, though he denies it now. "His 2020 campaign literature noted his support for a ballot measure that would have dismantled the Minneapolis Police Department and created a new public safety department, a plan organized by progressives who had promoted the defund movement. His 2020 campaign website also included a photo of Minneapolis City Council members on stage in front of a “defund police” sign." https://www.startribune.com/sen-omar-fateh-minneapolis-mayor-2025-profile/601480088. His endorsement by the Minneapolis DFL was revoked due to irregularities in the voting process but his campaign continued to send out fliers and lawn signs after the revocation. I'm just kind of skeptical about this guy; there have been too many questionable statements and incidents. Progressives who don't like Frey can choose DeWayne Davis or Jazz Hampton.