If you’re wondering about Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s political affiliation, you can squarely place him in the Democratic column, but more specifically, he’s a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), which is the state’s unique affiliate of the national Democratic Party. Frey’s political journey and his current struggles within his own party tell a fascinating story about the challenges and complexities of leading a major American city in a deeply polarized era.
Frey’s political identity has been shaped by his background as a civil rights attorney and community organizer. Before becoming mayor, he made a name for himself by founding the Big Gay Race, a 5K charity event that raised significant funds for marriage equality in Minnesota. His work in fighting employment discrimination and his focus on affordable housing and police reform initially aligned well with the progressive values of Minneapolis.
First elected mayor in 2017 and reelected in 2021, Frey has championed policies like ending single-family zoning to boost housing density and investing historic amounts in affordable housing. However, his time in office has also been marked by immense challenges, including the police murder of George Floyd and the ensuing national upheaval, which put his leadership and his Democratic ideals under a microscope.
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A Democrat Facing Party Tensions and a Tough Reelection
Despite his Democratic credentials, Mayor Jacob Frey finds himself in a heated battle for his political future, and the friction is coming from within his own party. In a stunning move, the Minneapolis DFL endorsed his democratic socialist challenger, State Senator Omar Fateh, at their convention in July 2025. This was a significant blow to the incumbent, marking the first time in over 16 years that the party had endorsed a mayoral candidate and the first time in even longer that an incumbent was snubbed. The endorsement process itself was messy, plagued by technical glitches and allegations of irregularities, leading Frey’s campaign to appeal the decision.
The state DFL ultimately agreed with Frey’s complaints. In a major twist in August 2025, they revoked Fateh’s endorsement, placing the Minneapolis chapter on probation and forbidding them from endorsing any candidate in the mayoral race. This internal party drama highlights a deep ideological rift. Fateh, who is running to Frey’s left and has the support of several progressive city council members, represents a more radical vision for the city.
Governor @Tim_Walz has been a champion for the values that have made Minnesota a beacon of hope and national progress.
I am honored to have his endorsement and grateful for his partnership in making Minneapolis a safer and more affordable city for all. pic.twitter.com/UCzmfBSIUO
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) July 31, 2025
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Frey, meanwhile, is positioning himself as a pragmatic leader who can get things done, championing his record on public safety and economic recovery while arguing that his approach is what the city needs. This tension between the party’s progressive and moderate wings is now playing out in the open, with Frey fighting to convince voters that his version of Democratic leadership is the right one.
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Governing as a Democrat: Policies, Protests, and Practical Politics
So, what does it actually mean to be a Democratic mayor like Jacob Frey? His policy priorities read like a classic progressive checklist: massive investments in affordable housing, ambitious climate action goals aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, and a focus on economic initiatives meant to bridge racial disparities. He has supported transformative policies like the Minneapolis 2040 plan, which effectively ended single-family zoning to promote density and fight housing segregation.
Yet, Frey’s Democratic identity has been tested and complicated by the realities of governing. His relationship with the police and his stance on public safety have been particular flashpoints. After George Floyd’s murder, he banned chokeholds and no-knock warrants (though the latter ban was later revealed to not be fully implemented) and pushed for body camera reforms.
However, he also consistently championed increasing the police budget and famously refused to agree to demands from protesters to abolish the entire police department, stating, “I do not support the full abolition of police.” This stance alienated some on the left but may have helped him with more moderate voters during his 2021 reelection.
Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says local police working with ICE “doesn’t make any sense for safety.” pic.twitter.com/fh2RhPKX7M
— Anthony Gockowski (@AntGockowski) April 30, 2025
Furthermore, his recent vetoes of a city council-passed ceasefire resolution and a minimum wage for rideshare drivers show a willingness to break with the more progressive wing of his party, framing his decisions as pragmatic governance. His handling of homeless encampments, particularly the clearing of Camp Nenookaasi, has also drawn sharp criticism from activists.
For Jacob Frey, being a Democrat in power seems to mean balancing ideological goals with what he sees as practical, achievable solutions, even if it sometimes puts him at odds with the most vocal segments of his own party. As he runs for a historic third term in November 2025, his campaign is essentially a referendum on what kind of Democrat—and what kind of city—Minneapolis wants to be.
