Minneapolis, Minnesota - In a major boost for his mayoral campaign, Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh has won the endorsement of the state's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party over incumbent Jacob Frey.

"I am incredibly honored to be the DFL endorsed candidate for Minneapolis Mayor," Fateh posted on X on Sunday.

"This endorsement is a message that Minneapolis residents are done with broken promises, vetoes, and politics as usual. It’s a mandate to build a city that works for all of us," he added.

According to Axios Twin Cities, Fateh got around 43.8% of the first vote to Frey's 31.5%. A candidate needed 60% to win the endorsement.

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It took nearly two hours to tabulate the votes from the first ballot, with many Frey supporters reportedly leaving around 9 PM as the campaign expressed frustration with the new electronic counting system.

Around 9:30 PM, the majority of delegates still present raised their badges in support of Fateh, delivering him the DFL's first Minneapolis mayoral endorsement in 16 years.

Fateh's mayoral bid has been compared with that of Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in New York City. He has put forward a vision that calls for increasing the minimum wage, expanding public housing, stabilizing rents, and preventing police collaboration with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The 35-year-old expecting father was born in Washington DC and has represented Minnesota's 62nd district in the state Senate since 2021. He became the first Muslim and first Somali American elected to the chamber.

In office, Fateh has championed progressive policies including tuition-free higher education for working-class families as well as a minimum wage for rideshare workers. The latter measure – backed by the Minnesota Uber and Lyft Drivers Association – was vetoed by Democratic Governor Tim Walz.

Fateh's mayoral campaign is endorsed by the Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America, the Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council, UNITE HERE Local 17, Sunrise Twin Cities, and other groups, in addition to a host of state and local politicians.

Frey, on the other hand, has faced criticism for moving to increase funding for the Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd's murder. He has also vetoed a Gaza ceasefire resolution passed by the City Council as well as legislation to enact a minimum wage for rideshare drivers.

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"I want to thank everyone who showed up to support my campaign. This election should be decided by our entire city, not by a handful of delegates," Frey said in a statement after failing to win the DFL endorsement.

"I look forward to a full debate with Sen. Fateh about our records and visions for our Minneapolis's future. Onward to November!" the mayor added.

Frey's campaign filed a challenge on Monday requesting an "emergency expedited review" of the Minneapolis DFL convention process, citing alleged counting issues with the electronic balloting system.

Voters hit the polls in the ranked-choice election for Minneapolis mayor on November 4, 2025.