Jewish Mayor Jacob Frey has secured a third term in office, defeating Muslim State Senator Omar Fateh-a democratic socialist of Somali descent-and thirteen other challengers in a highly contested Minneapolis mayoral race.
Frey, a moderate Democrat and Reform Jew, attends Temple Israel in Minneapolis with his wife, a Jewish convert. Born in Arlington County, Virginia, to a Jewish family with Russian roots, Frey has openly expressed support for Israel. In early 2024, he vetoed a City Council ceasefire resolution on the Gaza war, calling it "one-sided" for ignoring the history of Israeli Jews. He later introduced a revised resolution supporting a two-state solution. In December, he vetoed another Council statement supporting amnesty for University of Minnesota students who had occupied a campus building to demand divestment from Israeli securities. Frey cited safety concerns and condemned the property damage.
Frey emerged victorious in the final round of ranked-choice voting on Wednesday. Although he held a roughly 10-point lead over Fateh after the first round of counting on Tuesday night, he did not initially surpass the required majority threshold. Minneapolis's voting system eliminates the lowest-ranked candidates and redistributes their supporters' next-choice votes until one candidate secures over 50%.
The mayoral contest featured 15 candidates, with Frey and Fateh leading the field. Rev. DeWayne Davis and businessman Jazz Hampton also attracted notable support. Fateh, Davis, and Hampton had formed an alliance urging their supporters to rank each other and exclude Frey in an effort to block the incumbent's re-election.
Frey's administration has overseen Minneapolis during a period of significant upheaval, including the aftermath of George Floyd's death in 2020 and subsequent efforts to reform the city's police department.
Dubbed by the New York Post as 'Minneapolis Mamdani,' Fateh aimed to become the city's first Muslim and first Somali American mayor. He had drawn national attention for his progressive platform and his sharp criticism of Israel. Ten days after the October 7 Hamas massacre, he issued a public letter condemning both Hamas and the Israeli government, accusing Israel of collective punishment, international law violations, and being on the brink of genocide. He also criticized American political figures for what he described as dehumanizing rhetoric and expressed solidarity with Palestinian and Jewish activists opposing Israeli actions.
Minneapolis officials reported a record-breaking turnout, with more than 147,000 ballots cast, representing 55% of registered voters. Final certification of the election results is expected from the City Council on Monday.