The Democratic socialist running for mayor of Minneapolis
against incumbent Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party
Mayor Jacob Frey this year failed to unseat Frey who won
a third term in office.
There were fifteen candidates on the non-partisan ballot.
At least three identified with the Democratic Socialists of
America (DSA). No significant Republican ran for mayor.
The controversial ranked-choice voting system is used in
Minneapolis city elections. Frey did not have at least 50
percent plus one in the actual vote counting, but voters
can also make second and third choices on their ballots
so that if no candidate has a majority, second and third
choices are allocated into subsequent calculations until
there are only two candidates left.
Frey reached just over 50% in the second round, and his
major opponent, Omar Fatah was about 6000 votes
behind.
The mayor had led by about 15,000 votes (42%)in the
actual counting of the votes, but his three main DSA
opponents had a combined total of 56%. They had
asked their voters to choose only DSA candidates for
their second and third choices, thus enabling one of them
(most likely Fatah) to overcome Frey’s first ballot lead
and win the election.
With a list of fifteen candidates for mayor, this was an
almost impossible quest because the ballot was so
complicated. In fact, the two trailing DSA candidates’
second and third choices were divided, and Frey received
a substantial enough number of them to win the election.
The Republican Party in the Twin Cities can only muster
about 20-25% of the vote, and thus has little presence
in Minneapolis and St. Paul. They hold few, if any, elected
offices.
Mayor Frey also had good news that regular DFLers
had gained seats on the City Council. DSA and other
radical council members still had a 7-6 majority, but
they no longer had the votes to override a mayoral
vetp. This outcome signals that there will be
stalemate ahead on controversial proposals and
projects — although Frey and his supporting council
members are quite liberal DFLers, and conservative
policies will not be enacted.
In St. Paul, incumbent Mayor Melvin Carter was
defeated for re-election in a stunning upset by
Laotian-born state legislator Kaohly Her who had
entered the race at the last minute, but she had
campaigned tirelessly. As in Minneapolis, St. Paul
city candidates are liberal DFLers, but Mayor-elect
Her is considered to be more moderate than Carter
who had seemed by many observers not to be a
hands-on mayor. Nevertheless, his defeat was a
surprise to most political observers.
All the members of the St. Pau; City Council are
women.
With statewide elections taking place next year,
and key gubernatorial, congressional and legislative
offices at stake, the 2025 urban elections suggest
that the DFL control of statewide offices might face
serious challenge. Republicans have a majority in
outstate Minnesota, including rural areas and most
small towns. The main voter battlefield will in the
suburbs which are more evenly split between the
two parties.
The divide between the regular DFL Party and its
more leftist DSA voters could affect the outcome
of the elections for governor, U.S. senator and other
offices in that the formidable DFL get-out-the-vote
operation could weaken as party leaders continue to
openly feud and criticize each other in the aftermath
of the bitter city elections just held.
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Copyright (c) 2025 by Barry Casselman. All rights reserved.
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