Omar Fateh

Omar Fateh
Fateh in the Minnesota Senate chambers in 2021
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 62nd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 5, 2021
Preceded byJeff Hayden
Personal details
Born
Omar Mahmood Fateh

(1990-04-19) April 19, 1990
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
Children1
RelativesZaynab Mohamed (sister-in-law)
EducationGeorge Mason University (BA, MPA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Omar Mahmood Fateh (/ˈfɑːteɪ/ FAH-tay;[1] born April 19, 1990) is an American politician and a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), he represents District 62, which includes parts of southwest Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Fateh is the first Somali American and Muslim to serve in the Minnesota Senate.[2] He is the DFL-endorsed candidate in the 2025 Minneapolis mayoral election.

Early life, education, and career

Fateh was born in Washington, D.C.,[3] to immigrant parents from Somalia.[4] He graduated from Falls Church High School and earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from George Mason University.[5] Fateh spent summer breaks in Minneapolis as a child.[6]

Fateh ran for a school board seat in northern Virginia in 2015. He moved to Minneapolis shortly after, where he worked in multiple government positions, including a nonpartisan job with the city in voter outreach.[2] He ran as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) for District 62A of the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018, losing the DFL primary to Hodan Hassan.[7]

Minnesota Senate

In 2020, Fateh announced a primary challenge to incumbent Senator Jeff Hayden. A self-declared democratic socialist, he received support from groups such as the Democratic Socialists of America and the Sunrise Movement.[8] He also received the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party's endorsement.[9] Fateh defeated Hayden in the August primary, 54% to 45%,[10] and was elected to the Minnesota Senate with 89% of the vote in the general election.[11]

Fateh was sworn into the Minnesota legislature on January 5, 2021. During his first term, the Senate was under Republican control, while the DFL controlled the House and governor's office.[12] Fateh authored 54 bills during the 2021–22 session, including a bill to exempt fentanyl test strips from being considered drug paraphernalia, which was passed and signed into law despite the divided government.[13] In January 2023, the Star Tribune reported that since legalization, community organizations and nonprofits had given away more than 100,000 strips, and cited evidence from surveys demonstrating that the strips changed user behavior, noting that 89% of users "took overdose-prevention measures once they discovered fentanyl".[14]

In 2022, Fateh defeated a challenger in the August 9 DFL primary, winning every precinct.[15] He then defeated Republican nominee Andrew Schmitz in the November general election with over 90% of the vote.[16] In 2022, Democrats won a "trifecta", taking control of the Senate, House, and governor's office.[17] Fateh was appointed chair of the Senate Higher Education committee and vice chair of the Senate Human Services Committee.[18]

Fateh's higher education bill included tuition-free public colleges and universities and tribal colleges for students from families whose income is less than $80,000 a year.[19] It also included an increase to Hunger Free Campus grants,[20] emergency assistance grants.[21]

Fateh was the chief Senate author of a bill to provide minimum wages and worker protections for drivers for rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft. The Minnesota Uber and Lyft Drivers Association (MULDA) supported the bill. It had bipartisan support and passed the House and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Tim Walz.[22] Fateh worked on a revised form of the legislation for the 2024 session, which passed with Walz's support. The minimum wage went into effect in late 2024.[23]

In 2022, Fateh returned $11,000 in campaign donations linked to the nonprofit Feeding Our Future, which was federally investigated for a $250 million fraud scheme. Fateh had previously defended the organization, accusing state agencies of targeting immigrant-owned businesses, then reversed his stance after federal raids began. He later expressed frustration that "providers were lying" to him.[24][25]

Also in 2022, Fateh faced a State Senate ethics investigation for failing to disclose $1,000 his campaign paid for advertisements to Somali TV Minnesota, a YouTube channel. A second complaint was related to the perjury conviction of Muse Mohamed, Fateh's brother-in-law and a volunteer on his 2020 campaign; a federal jury convicted Muse in May of lying to a federal grand jury about his handling of three absentee ballots for Fateh's campaign.[26] The ethics committee unanimously dismissed both complaints against Fateh, finding that the undisclosed advertising expense was outside the ethics committee's scope and referring it to the campaign finance board.[27] Fateh was also ordered to attend campaign finance training.[26]

Minneapolis mayoral election

On November 20, 2024, Fateh declared his candidacy for mayor of Minneapolis in the 2025 election.[28] On July 19, 2025, the Minneapolis DFL endorsed Fateh over incumbent mayor Jacob Frey.[29]

During the campaign, Fateh was the subject of Islamophobic and racially motivated harassment, beginning with statements by right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk.[3][30] Local politicians, including his opponents in the mayoral election, responded in Fateh's defense.[31]

Political views

Policing and public safety

Fateh supported a 2021 ballot initiative aimed at replacing the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) with a Department of Public Safety, a measure that failed to pass.[32] He has said that replacing the MPD "isn't on the table" in 2025, and his 2025 platform includes an increase in public safety resources.[33] Fateh has also publicly called for a ban on MPD's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.[34]

Housing and homelessness

Fateh has expressed support for rent stabilization[35] and increased housing density.[36]

Fateh's position on homelessness includes a "just cause" eviction policy, limiting landlords' reasons for evictions; he has said, "the largest contributor to homelessness is evictions". He supports sanitary stations at encampment sites and opposes homeless encampment sweeps.[36]

Personal life

Fateh lives in Minneapolis's Phillips neighborhood[37] with his wife, Kaltum.[38] His sister-in-law is Minnesota State Senator Zaynab Mohamed.[39] He has a son, born in August 2025.[38]

Electoral history

2018 Minnesota House District 62A DFL primary[7]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Hodan Hassan 2,207 28.41%
Democratic (DFL) Osman Ahmed 1,607 20.68%
Democratic (DFL) Omar Fateh 1,602 20.62%
Democratic (DFL) Margarita Ortega 1,531 19.71%
Democratic (DFL) Jen Kader 822 10.58%
Total votes 7,769 100.0%
2020 Minnesota Senate District 62 DFL primary[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Omar Fateh 11,109 54.86%
Democratic (DFL) Jeff Hayden 9,140 45.14%
Total votes 20,249 100.0%
2020 Minnesota Senate District 62 election[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Omar Fateh 33,103 88.99%
Republican Bruce Lundeen 3,947 10.61%
Write-in 150 0.40%
Total votes 37,200 100.0%
2022 Minnesota Senate District 62 election[42]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Omar Fateh 24,271 90.28%
Republican Andrew Schmitz 2,528 9.40%
Write-in 84 0.31%
Total votes 26,883 100.0%

Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ "Senate Members' Pronunciation". Minnesota Legislature. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Guensburg, Carol; Ayoub, Betty (November 15, 2021). "Somali American Lawmaker in Minnesota Sees Role as Bridge Builder". Voice of America. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Robledo, Anthony (July 15, 2025). "Who is Omar Fateh? Minneapolis mayoral candidate condemns racist attacks". USA Today. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  4. ^ "Meet Omar". Omar Fateh for Minneapolis Mayor. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "Legislators Past and Present - Legislator Record - Fateh, Omar". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library.
  6. ^ Jackson, Zoë (January 2, 2021). "New state senator's Socialist ambitions will face reality at Minnesota State Capitol". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Results for State Representative District 62A, 2018 State Primary". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
  8. ^ Peters, Joey (August 11, 2020). "Progressive challenger Omar Fateh defeats longtime State Senator Jeff Hayden in Minnesota's Democratic primary". Sahan Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Peters, Joey (May 7, 2020). "Two newcomers oust DFL veterans to win party endorsement for Minnesota legislature". Sahan Journal. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  10. ^ Gotlieb, Nate (August 12, 2020). "Ilhan Omar wins big; Fateh ousts Hayden". Southwest Journal. Archived from the original on August 17, 2020. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  11. ^ ""Results for State Senator District 62"". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  12. ^ "Caucus Chart - Minnesota Legislature". lrl.mn.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  13. ^ "SF 1724 Status in the Senate for the 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022)". revisor.mn.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Tribune, Chris Serres Star (January 21, 2023). "As fatal overdoses surge, demand for fentanyl test strips grows in Minnesota". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  15. ^ "Index - Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  16. ^ "Index - Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "Minnesota Democrats win Capitol 'trifecta'". MPR News. November 9, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  18. ^ "MN State Senate". senate.mn. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  19. ^ Tribune, Ryan Faircloth Star (May 9, 2023). "Higher ed deal includes free college for Minnesota families who make under $80K". Star Tribune. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  20. ^ "Hunger Free Campus | LeadMN". leadmn.org. Archived from the original on July 19, 2024. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  21. ^ "Home – MN Licensing and Registration". mnsas.ohe.state.mn.us. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  22. ^ Browning, Kellen (May 21, 2023). "Minnesota Passes Bill Seeking to Ensure Minimum Wage for Gig Workers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  23. ^ Spencer, Cari (December 2, 2024). "Sen. Omar Fateh announces candidacy for Minneapolis mayor, says Frey is 'failing' residents". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  24. ^ "Minnesota State Senator Omar Fateh returns campaign funds from those tied to food aid probe". February 2022.
  25. ^ Winter, Deena (July 23, 2025). "Who is Omar Fateh, the man Minneapolis Democrats endorsed for mayor?". www.startribune.com. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  26. ^ a b "Senator Omar Fateh ordered to undergo campaign finance training". September 13, 2022.
  27. ^ "Senators throw out most Fateh ethics complaints". kare11.com. July 28, 2022. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  28. ^ Hoffman, Melody (November 20, 2024). "Omar Fateh joins DeWayne Davis as Minneapolis mayoral candidate". Southwest Voices.
  29. ^ Cooper, Renee (July 19, 2025). "State Sen. Omar Fateh secures mayoral race endorsement at Minneapolis DFL Convention". KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  30. ^ "Minneapolis politicians rally to defend Omar Fatah after Islamophobic attack by Charlie Kirk". Bring Me The News. July 16, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  31. ^ Winter, Deena (July 15, 2025). "Trump loyalist attacks mayoral candidate's Muslim identity; Minneapolis politicians unite in defense". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  32. ^ "Sen. Omar Fateh Says Charter Amendment Vote Gives Mpls. Chance For 'New Approach To Public Safety' - CBS Minnesota". www.cbsnews.com. September 26, 2021. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  33. ^ Peters, Joey (July 31, 2025). "Will Minneapolis' Somali voters decide the mayoral race between Jacob Frey and Omar Fateh?". Sahan Journal. Retrieved August 1, 2025.
  34. ^ Winter, Deena (July 22, 2025). "The Mamdani of Minneapolis? Omar Fateh brings the left's insurgency to mayor's race". www.startribune.com. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  35. ^ Moini, Nina; Finn, Ellen (July 21, 2025). "Inside the Minneapolis DFL convention that endorsed state Sen. Omar Fateh for mayor". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  36. ^ a b Peters, Joey; Tu, Cynthia (July 17, 2025). "Who's running for Minneapolis mayor? Six candidates address immigration, homelessness and police reform". Sahan Journal. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  37. ^ "Join the Movement". Omar Fateh for MN Senate 62. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023.
  38. ^ a b Winter, Deena (August 12, 2025). "Oh, baby! Wives of top candidates for Minneapolis mayor have babies within 10 days of each other". Minnesota Star Tribune. Retrieved August 12, 2025.
  39. ^ Montemayor, Stephen (May 11, 2022). "State Sen. Omar Fateh's brother-in-law convicted of perjury related to 2020 primary". Star Tribune. Retrieved March 5, 2025.
  40. ^ "Results for All State Senate Races, 2020 State Primary". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  41. ^ "2020 Results for Senate District 62". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
  42. ^ "2022 Results for Senate District 62". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved January 21, 2025.
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