The future of the Minneapolis mayoral race could shift again on Monday as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) State Executive Committee takes up an appeal from the Minneapolis DFL over the endorsement of State Sen. Omar Fateh.
The issue goes back to the Minneapolis DFL convention in July, where Fateh secured the party’s endorsement in a late-night vote. His victory was seen as a big win for progressives in the city. But almost immediately, questions arose about how the convention had been run. Some delegates claimed votes were missed, procedures weren’t followed, and the process was deeply flawed.
After reviewing the matter, the Minnesota DFL announced in August that it was vacating the Minneapolis party’s endorsement of Fateh. A state panel determined there were “substantial failures” in how the convention was handled, making the results unreliable. This decision angered Fateh’s supporters, who argued the endorsement reflected the will of Minneapolis delegates and should stand.
Earlier this month, the Minneapolis DFL formally appealed, asking the state party to restore the endorsement and respect the original convention results. The state committee is now tasked with deciding whether to reinstate Fateh as the DFL-endorsed candidate for mayor or stand by its decision to vacate the endorsement. The outcome is especially important given that early voting in Minneapolis is already underway.
Fateh’s campaign has framed the controversy as an attack from establishment Democrats. His co-campaign manager, Graham Faulkner, accused party insiders of deliberately working to strip Fateh of his win because they fear his message and his growing support among working-class voters. “Our campaign sees this for what it is: disenfranchisement of thousands of Minneapolis caucus-goers and the delegates who represented all of us on convention day,” Faulkner said. He argued that corporate interests and entrenched power in the city feel threatened by Fateh’s progressive platform.
Mayor Jacob Frey, who is running for re-election and was expected to face a serious challenge from Fateh, defended the state party’s move. Frey said the Minneapolis convention process was “obviously flawed” and praised the DFL for stepping in to correct it. “I am proud to be a member of a party that believes in correcting our mistakes,” Frey said. He welcomed the chance to have a fair campaign in which the people of Minneapolis, not a flawed convention, decide the city’s future leadership.
State party leaders have echoed Frey’s view. DFL Chair Mike Erlandson sharply criticized the way the Minneapolis convention was run, calling it the most unfair and procedurally broken process he had seen in over four decades of attending party conventions. He said it was “shameful” that the convention chair allowed it to move forward and insisted the party must do better to ensure fairness and credibility in its endorsement system.
But others see the state party’s intervention as heavy-handed and damaging. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who represents Minneapolis, denounced the move to vacate Fateh’s endorsement. She argued that his campaign had organized effectively, followed the rules, and legitimately won. “This decision will be a stain on our party for years to come,” she said, warning that overturning the will of delegates could alienate grassroots activists and voters.
The dispute has exposed deep tensions inside the DFL between progressive activists pushing for change and establishment figures seeking to maintain stability. Whether or not Fateh’s endorsement is restored, the controversy is already shaping the dynamics of the Minneapolis mayoral race. With voting already in progress, the decision of the state executive committee will not only influence Fateh’s candidacy but could also affect voter trust in the party’s internal processes.
As Minneapolis waits for the committee’s decision, the debate reflects a larger struggle within the DFL: who gets to define the future of the party and who holds the power to decide its candidates. For many, the fight over Fateh’s endorsement is about more than one race—it’s about whether the party will lean further into progressive organizing or stay aligned with establishment politics.
