Minneapolis City Council ‘progressives vs. moderates’ split plays out in DFL endorsements

Will further-left progressives hang onto control of the Minneapolis City Council, or will a comparatively moderate coalition more aligned with Mayor Jacob Frey wrest it back in November?

Good question.

The recent completion of the DFL endorsements in each race leaves it to anyone’s guess.

The November election will decide whether Frey stays in office, and whether progressives stay in control of the council or whether moderates aligned with Frey return to power. Minneapolis is dominated by Democrats, so the battle comes down to how far left of center candidates are.

Two of the more progressive incumbent City Council members did not win the DFL endorsement this year, in what could be a sign of trouble for the more progressive wing of the council that took control of the body last year.

Council Member Katie Cashman and Minneapolis City Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai failed to win the Minneapolis Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party’s endorsement, putting their futures in question, given the DFL-endorsed candidate usually goes on to win the election in Minneapolis.

A third council member, Robin Wonsley, also wasn’t endorsed but didn’t seek the party’s support because she’s a Democratic Socialist. Her supporters successfully blocked any endorsement at the ward convention. She didn’t have a challenger in 2023, when a more progressive bloc was elected to the council and elected Elliott Payne as president with a promise to be a strong counterweight to Frey.

Frey’s allies on the council — Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw and Linea Palmisano — secured DFL endorsements at their ward conventions. Another Frey ally, incumbent Andrea Jenkins, is not seeking re-election. In her ward, Ward 8 in south-central Minneapolis, a more progressive candidate, Soren Stevenson, won the endorsement.

The arrival of a more left-wing council majority led to more clashes with the mayor: Frey issued eight vetoes last year, including an unprecedented veto of the council-approved budget. The mayor and council sparred over the minimum pay rate for rideshare drivers; an Israel-Hamas ceasefire resolution; a carbon emissions fee; an ordinance creating a new labor standards board; and raises for about 160 high-paid city employees. The council overrode half of those vetoes via a nine-member supermajority that has coalesced over some issues.

Frey himself is facing five announced challengers, including some who would likely be aligned with the progressive wing of the council. The citywide DFL endorsing convention for mayor is scheduled for July 19.

Ward conventions wrapped up over the weekend, and four of the six more progressive incumbents were endorsed by the local DFL, while three of the moderate incumbents were endorsed. Council Member Jamal Osman, who sometimes acts as a swing vote, won the DFL endorsement.

Three wards are up for grabs after the incumbents opted not to run again: Wards 5, 8 and 11.

Nobody was endorsed in the wide-open Ward 5 race to succeed Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who endorsed Ethrophic Burnett. Burnett has also been endorsed by the progressive Mpls for the Many organization.

Progressive Stevenson won the Ward 8 endorsement, but he also got it in 2023 and lost to Jenkins.

In Ward 11, Council Member Emily Koski did not seek re-election after dropping a bid for mayor, and while two years ago she ran with Frey‘s backing, she has drifted to the more progressive side of the council.

Jamison Whiting, a police reform attorney for the city of Minneapolis, was endorsed by the DFL to succeed Koski, and has been endorsed by All of Mpls, a moderate group aligned with the mayor. He has called for less divisiveness in city politics, saying, “We are all some form of Democrat. We shouldn’t be fighting each other.”

Former Frey campaign manager Joe Radinovich — who’s helping run a new moderate political action committee called We Love Minneapolis — thinks about half the council races will be competitive and expects moderate Democrats to regain control of the council in November.

He expects Ward 10, Chughtai’s ward, to be one of the most competitive races.

“I think those people would walk through hell to replace their council member,” he said.

Chelsea McFarren, chair of Mpls for the Many, said political action committees aligned with Frey are funneling “Republican money” into races targeting “progressive champions” on the council.

“Both challengers to Council Member Chughtai and Council Member Cashman are funded by landlords that see an opportunity to elect a candidate that will protect their profits and not Minneapolis residents,” she said in a statement. “Our candidates are individuals of and for their communities, not hand selected proxies for wealthy interests.”

Here’s who was endorsed by the Minneapolis DFL:

Incumbent Council President Elliot Payne was endorsed.

Nobody was endorsed by the DFL in this race, which was the outcome sought by Democratic Socialist and incumbent Robin Wonsley.

Incumbent Michael Rainville was endorsed.

Incumbent LaTrisha Vetaw was endorsed.

Nobody was endorsed in this race to succeed Jeremiah Ellison, who is not seeking another term.

Incumbent Jamal Osman was endorsed.

Park Board Commissioner Elizabeth Shaffer was endorsed over incumbent Katie Cashman.

Soren Stevenson was endorsed.

Incumbent Jason Chavez was endorsed.

Nobody was endorsed in the contest between incumbent Aisha Chughtai and Lydia Millard. Chughtai won 52% of the delegates’ votes, short of the 60% needed for an endorsement, while Millard won 47%.

Jamison Whiting was endorsed in the race to succeed Emily Koski, who is not seeking re-election.

Incumbent Aurin Chowdhury was endorsed.

Incumbent Linea Palmisano, who is running unopposed so far, was endorsed.