Minnesota State Sen. Omar Fateh is receiving high-profile backing from current and former Squad members Ilhan Omar and Jamaal Bowman as he campaigns for mayor of Minneapolis, marking a show of unity among progressive Democrats following months of internal party divisions.
Omar Fateh, a Democratic state senator and self-described democratic socialist, has drawn public endorsements from Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and former Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) in his bid to become mayor of Minneapolis. The show of support underscores the ongoing influence of the progressive “Squad” coalition within Democrat politics, even as some of its members have faced backlash and electoral setbacks.
In a video filmed together, Omar and Fateh appeared to discuss the city’s rising costs, housing challenges, and the need for what they described as “new, bold leadership.” Omar said Minneapolis residents “are struggling to make ends meet” and “tired of the broken promises and the vetoes,” while Fateh emphasized his goal of “building an affordable city that working families can call home.”
Fateh’s campaign platform includes raising the city’s minimum wage to $20 per hour by 2028, instituting rent stabilization, expanding non-police emergency response teams, and lobbying for a local income tax on high earners. He has also pledged to resist cooperation between local police and federal immigration enforcement, stating that Minneapolis should “stand up to Donald Trump” and “protect all communities.”
Fateh followed up with a graphic quoting Omar’s statement, which read, “Minneapolis deserves a champion for working people,” and expressed her intention to rank Fateh as her “first choice for mayor.” On Friday, Fateh announced an upcoming “Northside Doorknock” event with Jamaal Bowman, calling the former congressman “an inspiration to so many people across the country.”
Bowman lost his reelection bid in 2024 after a series of controversies, including pulling a Capitol fire alarm during a government funding vote and later pleading guilty to a misdemeanor. Capitol Police and the House Administration Committee investigated the incident after cameras showed Bowman removing warning signs and triggering the alarm just before a critical vote to avoid a government shutdown. He was fined $1,000 and required to write an apology to Capitol Police.
Bowman was later defeated by Westchester County Executive George Latimer in what became the most expensive House primary in American history, with more than $23 million spent. The race ended his time in Congress after one term and was viewed as a major setback for the progressive “Squad.” Before leaving office, he called for the United States to accept Palestinian refugees and was among the few Democrats who refused to support additional military aid to Israel.
Omar, meanwhile, has remained one of Fateh’s strongest allies. The congresswoman has previously faced criticism over her own record, including questions about her personal finances — which grew from roughly $51,000 to as much as $30 million in one year — and a federal election complaint related to nearly $230,000 in campaign payments to her husband’s consulting firm. She also gained attention for remarks calling the United States a “police state” under President Trump and suggesting the country was becoming “one of the worst in the world.”
Fateh’s campaign has been marked by a series of disputes and investigations. Earlier this year, the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party revoked its endorsement of his mayoral bid after citing voting irregularities at the city convention, a move Fateh decried as “backroom politics.” In past reporting, Breitbart News detailed Fateh’s ties to individuals connected to a federal food fraud investigation, his advocacy for taxpayer-funded college for illegal immigrants, and his support for George Floyd protesters during the 2020 riots.
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