Omar Fateh, a progressive Democrat, secured the official endorsement of the Democratic Farm-Labor Party to challenge incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey in Minneapolis. His platform mirrors the far-left agenda gaining ground in major Democratic cities across America.
Key Facts:
- Omar Fateh won the DFL endorsement over current Mayor Jacob Frey on Saturday for Minneapolis mayor
- Fateh announced his candidacy in December, running on a platform similar to New York’s Zohran Mamdani
- He pledges to refuse cooperation with the Trump administration and ban police collaboration with ICE
- His economic agenda includes a $20 minimum wage by 2028 and rent stabilization measures
- Minneapolis uses rank-choice voting, with the general election set for November 4
The Rest of The Story:
Fateh celebrated his endorsement victory by framing it as a rejection of establishment politics.
“This endorsement is a message that Minneapolis residents are done with broken promises, vetoes, and politics as usual,” he posted on social media Saturday.
The state senator positioned himself as the candidate of working people against corporate interests.
His campaign platform centers on what he calls comprehensive public safety reform.
Rather than traditional policing approaches, Fateh advocates for “sending the right responders” to various situations.
He has made immigration enforcement a key issue, promising to prevent the Minneapolis Police Department from any cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
The economic centerpiece of his agenda involves significant wage and housing interventions.
Fateh supports raising the minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2028 and implementing rent stabilization policies.
“As a renter in Stevens Square with a full-time job on top of my part-time Senator job, and a baby on the way, I want to keep money in working people’s pockets,” he explained in July.
Incumbent Mayor Frey’s campaign criticized the endorsement process itself.
Campaign manager Sam Schulenberg called the convention process “extremely flawed and irregular,” arguing that “this election should be decided by the entire city rather than the small group of people who became delegates.”
The Frey team now plans to take their case directly to voters in November.
This is Omar Fateh, a Muslim and son of Somali immigrants and current Democrat MN State Senator who is now running for Minneapolis mayor.
Omar wants to ban local police from any interaction with ICE agents in order to "protect” the city from Trump. He also wants to “diversify… pic.twitter.com/bEm9SZUkTf
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) July 14, 2025
Commentary:
The Fateh endorsement represents another victory for the progressive wing that has systematically captured Democratic Party machinery in major cities.
His platform reads like a socialist manifesto, complete with government price controls, immigration sanctuary policies, and explicit hostility toward federal law enforcement cooperation.
The comparison to New York’s Zohran Mamdani is particularly telling.
Mamdani’s even more extreme agenda includes a $30 minimum wage and government-run grocery stores.
These candidates represent the logical endpoint of decades of progressive education that has convinced young Americans that government control of the economy produces prosperity rather than scarcity.
Fateh’s promise to refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement demonstrates the lawlessness now embedded in Democratic urban governance.
When local officials openly pledge to obstruct federal law, they signal that political ideology trumps the rule of law.
This sanctuary city mentality has already produced tragic consequences in cities across America.
The economic policies Fateh champions reveal a profound misunderstanding of basic economics.
Rent control policies have consistently produced housing shortages wherever implemented, from New York to San Francisco.
Similarly, dramatic minimum wage increases eliminate entry-level jobs precisely when young people need them most.
These policies sound compassionate but deliver poverty.
What makes this endorsement particularly significant is the process itself.
As Frey’s campaign noted, a small group of party activists chose the nominee rather than the broader electorate.
This reflects how progressive activists have captured party machinery by showing up to low-turnout events where their influence is magnified.
The timing could not be better for Republican messaging nationally.
Fateh and Mamdani serve as perfect examples of where the Democratic Party has moved.
Their radical agendas help explain why working-class voters have been fleeing the Democratic Party.
When Democratic candidates openly embrace socialism and lawlessness, they make the case for Republican governance more effectively than any campaign ad.
Minneapolis voters will ultimately decide whether they want four more years of progressive governance that has already produced rising crime and economic stagnation.
Their choice will serve as a test case for whether American cities are ready to reverse course or double down on policies that have clearly failed.
The Bottom Line:
Omar Fateh’s DFL endorsement signals the continued leftward drift of urban Democratic politics, with his socialist-inspired platform serving as a stark reminder of how far the party has moved from mainstream American values.
While Minneapolis voters may embrace his radical agenda, his candidacy provides Republicans with a clear example of Democratic extremism heading into the midterm elections.
The November contest between Fateh and Frey will test whether Minneapolis residents are ready for even more progressive governance or if they prefer incremental change over revolutionary policies.
Read Next
– House Republicans Call For Arrests After ‘Russiagate’ Revelations
– Trump May Withhold Approval of New Stadium if Washington Team Doesn’t Change Name Back to ‘Redskins’
– Why The ‘Made in America’ Label May Be More of a Marketing Tool Than Truthful Advertising
– Defense Department Reshapes Two Centuries of Tradition With Pick To Lead U.S Naval Academy
