Jacob Frey Secures Third Term as Minneapolis Mayor

Jacob Frey, born July 23, 1981, is an American politician, lawyer, and the 48th mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, serving since January 2, 2018.[1][3][4] A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, he previously represented Ward 3 on the Minneapolis City Council from 2014 to 2018 after winning election in 2013.[1][2][3] Raised in northern Virginia, Frey graduated with a government degree before attending Villanova University Law School, where he became a competitive long-distance runner and developed interests in social justice and civil rights.[5][6] As an attorney specializing in employment and civil rights, Frey co-founded the Big Gay Race in 2011 to support marriage equality and advocated for homeless tenants in North Minneapolis, earning the city's inaugural Martin Luther King, Jr. Award in 2012.[2][6] On the council, he focused on affordable housing, small business growth, neighborhood improvements, and expanding early voting, increasing sites from one to five before 2016.[1][3][7] Elected mayor in 2017 at age 36—making him one of the city's youngest and its second Jewish mayor—Frey was reelected in 2021 and reportedly secured a third term in 2025.[1][2][3][5] His administration prioritizes affordable housing (with production up 8.5 times), community-police relations (including crisis response expansion and use-of-force revisions), climate action, inclusive economic growth, and governance.[1][2][4] Key achievements include the Stable Homes Stable Schools program aiding thousands of students, seven Cultural Districts, the Ownership and Opportunity Fund for entrepreneurs of color, downtown revitalization with strong post-pandemic recovery, and a new city government structure approved in 2021 and enacted in 2022 for better efficiency.[1][2] Frey lives in Northeast Minneapolis with his wife, Sarah Clarke, daughter Frida (born 2020), and anticipates a second child.[1][7] His leadership remains central to Minneapolis's ongoing housing, equity, and recovery efforts.[1][2]

**Omar Fateh** is an American politician born April 19, 1990, in Washington, D.C., to Somali immigrant parents.[1] He is a member of the Minnesota Senate representing District 62, which encompasses parts of southwest Minneapolis in Hennepin County.[1] As a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), Fateh identifies as a democratic socialist and holds the distinction of being the first Somali American and Muslim to serve in the Minnesota Senate.[1][3] Fateh earned his Master's Degree in Public Administration from George Mason University.[3] Before his political career, he worked as a Community Specialist for the City of Minneapolis, focusing on outreach to East African communities, and as a project coordinator for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.[2] He was first elected to the Senate in 2020 and re-elected in 2022, winning every precinct in the DFL primary and defeating his Republican challenger with over 90% of the vote.[1] In the legislature, Fateh has championed progressive causes. As Senate Higher Education Committee Chair, he authored a successful bill establishing tuition-free public colleges and universities for students from families earning less than $80,000 annually.[1] He also led efforts to provide minimum wage protections and worker protections for rideshare drivers, with revised legislation passing in 2024 and taking effect later that year.[1] In 2025, Fateh ran for Mayor of Minneapolis as the DFL-endorsed candidate, focusing on climate justice, public transit, housing affordability, and supporting marginalized communities.[4] However, the state party revoked his endorsement due to irregularities, and he lost the general election on November 4, 2025, to incumbent Jacob Frey, receiving 47.0% of the vote to Frey's 53.0%.[1] Fateh continues to serve in the Minnesota Senate and remains active in progressive social movements and community organizations.[2]