Young Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Seeks to Shake Up Politics with Grassroots Campaign
The upcoming election in Minneapolis is shaping up to be a battle between a young and charismatic Democratic socialist, Omar Fateh, and the incumbent mayor, Jacob Frey. Fateh, 35, who became a state senator by ousting an incumbent, has gained attention for his comparisons to Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist on track to win New York City's mayoral contest.
Fateh's campaign is fueled by grassroots organizers with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and he is running on a platform that focuses on affordability, making the city more livable, and protecting all residents. His message has resonated with voters, who are eager for change. As one voter put it, "I feel like Minneapolis has this reputation of being a really progressive city, and I'm not actually feeling that as a resident."
The campaign has been boosted by the Twin Cities DSA, which has seen new members sign up after Mamdani's win in the primary. Fateh believes his campaign is gaining momentum due to its focus on the grassroots level. "We have the people power," said Brooke Bartholomew, the group's co-chair. "That's part of what DSA brings to the table for Omar Fateh's campaign is people power – going on those doors, talking to neighbors and helping to build this really diverse coalition."
Fateh faces a tough challenge from Frey, who has the advantage of organizational muscle and money backing. However, Hampton and Davis, two other contenders, see lanes for themselves to win in the ranked-choice voting system. The election is set to take place on November 4.
As the campaign heats up, Fateh's supporters are optimistic about their chances. "We're running on a campaign to make the city more livable, affordable and to protect all of our residents," he told one voter. The question remains whether Fateh can unseat Frey and bring about real change in Minneapolis.
The upcoming election in Minneapolis is shaping up to be a battle between a young and charismatic Democratic socialist, Omar Fateh, and the incumbent mayor, Jacob Frey. Fateh, 35, who became a state senator by ousting an incumbent, has gained attention for his comparisons to Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic socialist on track to win New York City's mayoral contest.
Fateh's campaign is fueled by grassroots organizers with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and he is running on a platform that focuses on affordability, making the city more livable, and protecting all residents. His message has resonated with voters, who are eager for change. As one voter put it, "I feel like Minneapolis has this reputation of being a really progressive city, and I'm not actually feeling that as a resident."
The campaign has been boosted by the Twin Cities DSA, which has seen new members sign up after Mamdani's win in the primary. Fateh believes his campaign is gaining momentum due to its focus on the grassroots level. "We have the people power," said Brooke Bartholomew, the group's co-chair. "That's part of what DSA brings to the table for Omar Fateh's campaign is people power – going on those doors, talking to neighbors and helping to build this really diverse coalition."
Fateh faces a tough challenge from Frey, who has the advantage of organizational muscle and money backing. However, Hampton and Davis, two other contenders, see lanes for themselves to win in the ranked-choice voting system. The election is set to take place on November 4.
As the campaign heats up, Fateh's supporters are optimistic about their chances. "We're running on a campaign to make the city more livable, affordable and to protect all of our residents," he told one voter. The question remains whether Fateh can unseat Frey and bring about real change in Minneapolis.
I love how he's focusing on making the city more livable and affordable for everyone - it's like, about time we saw some real change around here! 
The fact that he's working closely with the DSA to get this done is a major plus too. Those guys are all about community power, which is exactly what Minneapolis needs right now! 
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for Omar - I think he's got a solid shot at taking down Frey and shaking things up in City Hall! 
... I mean, making the city more livable and affordable? That's all well and good but how's he gonna pay for it 
? The DSA is definitely bringing some energy to the campaign, though 
. I'm not sure if it's just a hype train or if they're actually building something real 
. Jacob Frey has been in office for years, it's gonna be tough for Fateh to take him down 
. And ranked-choice voting is a wild card - I guess we'll see how that plays out on November 4 
. it's not gonna be an easy win against Frey, but i think Fateh has a real shot at shaking things up in Minneapolis 
. can't wait to see how this election plays out! 
His focus on affordability, making the city more livable, and protecting all residents sounds super relatable. I'm curious to see how his grassroots campaign compares to ours - I mean, have you ever tried to convince your school's administration to improve the cafeteria food? 
It's all about building coalitions and getting people on board, right? 
Omar fateh's energy is super infectious tho, his campaign is actually making me think about what i want from my city as a student 
, like affordable housing options near campus would be a game changer 
, and it'd be awesome if he could bring in some real change to address the city's social issues too 
! It's clear that voters are craving change and authenticity, and Omar Fateh seems to be delivering on both fronts 
. Of course, it's gonna be tough for him to take down Frey with all the organizational muscle and cash backing he has 
, but I've got a feeling that Fateh's message is going to resonate with a lot of Minneapolites