Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey projected to win reelection
Jacob Frey is projected to win the Minneapolis mayoral election, where he'll serve his third term as the leader of the state's largest city.
Minneapolis election officials say Frey won with 50.03% of the vote, with his closest challenger, state Sen. Omar Fateh, earning 44.37%. The results are unofficial and still need to be verified. (Click here to see the full results at the bottom of this article.)
"From right now until my final seconds in office, I will work tirelessly to do everything possible to make sure that Minneapolis is a place where everyone, regardless of your background or where you grew up can live a brilliant life in an affordable home in a safe neighborhood," Frey said during an acceptance speech Wednesday.
Despite challenges from a bloc of candidates that included Fateh, Rev. DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton, Frey was able to withstand the challenges of ranked-choice voting.
He won after two rounds of tabulation, but the Democrat has never won on the first ballot; when he was first elected in 2017, it took six rounds to declare him the winner, and in 2021, he won after the second round with 56% of the vote.
Frey was 10 points ahead of Fateh after the first round of counting, and ultimately outpaced Fateh by more than 8,000 votes, according to the city.
Fateh, who was endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America and Rep. Ilhan Omar, anchored his campaign on progressive ideas. He advocated for rent control, floated the idea of a wealth tax for the city and criticized Frey's tactic of clearing encampments as a way to manage homelessness.
Fateh, Davis and Hampton banded together to encourage voters not to rank Frey, but were ultimately unsuccessful.
Frey, 44, will lead a city that has in recent years struggled with concerns of public safety, affordable housing and a persistent cycle of homeless encampments. He'll also need to manage ongoing battles with the Trump administration over immigration and funding cuts.
During his tenure, Frey has pushed for historic raises for Minneapolis police officers in an effort to rebuild their ranks, raising affordable housing units and moving buses off of Nicollet Mall in downtown.
In the wake of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, he's also pressed for a ban on automatic weapons.
"And if the state and the feds are unwilling or unable, then give us the ability to do it in cities," Frey said during WCCO's mayoral debate, referencing a Minnesota law that prohibits cities from writing their own gun control legislation.
Opponents highlighted his tendency to spar with the Minneapolis City Council; last year he vetoed the $1.9 billion city budget, the creation of a labor standards board and a pay boost for rideshare drivers. After Tuesday's election, the Minneapolis City Council is projected to maintain its progressive majority, but will lack enough votes to override a mayoral veto.
Fateh says his campaign "changed the narrative about what kind of city Minneapolis can be"
After Frey's projected win, Fateh released the following statement:
"Thank you to every single person who believed in this scrappy campaign. Who believed in a vision for Minneapolis that was more affordable, that was more accountable, who showed up and worked and refused to give up on this city. This campaign was about the kind of Minneapolis that gives you every tool to spread your wings and enough support to lift you up if you stumble.
"While we came up short, I am incredibly proud of the campaign we have run, and our team who gave absolutely everything they have. Truth is, from day one, we knew what we were up against. Five PACs. Millions of dollars flooding into our city. I know that I, alongside the renters, the workers, the families, the people of this city who were long left behind, built something money can't buy: people power. We built a campaign rooted in dignity, in care, and in courage. And nothing can take that away.
"They may have won this race, but we have changed the narrative about what kind of city Minneapolis can be. Because now, truly affordable housing, workers' rights, and public safety rooted in care are no longer side conversations; they are at the center of the narrative. We'll keep going and believing in the bright future Minneapolis deserves. I love you, Minneapolis, and I am so proud of what we built together."