Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Omar Fateh

How Omar Fateh built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Omar Fateh is an American politician currently serving as a Minnesota State Senator for District 62. As a member of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, Fateh is the first Somali American and Muslim to hold a seat in the Minnesota Senate. He represents parts of southwest Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Fateh received the DFL endorsement for the 2025 Minneapolis mayoral election which was later revoked.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles

2015: Unsuccessful School Board Run

In 2015, Omar Fateh unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Fairfax County School Board in northern Virginia.

2018: Loss in DFL Primary

In 2018, Omar Fateh ran for District 62A of the Minnesota House of Representatives, but he lost in the DFL primary to Hodan Hassan.

2020: Election to the Minnesota Senate

In 2020, Omar Fateh announced a primary challenge to incumbent Senator Jeff Hayden. He defeated Hayden in the August primary and was subsequently elected to the Minnesota Senate in the general election with 89% of the vote.

January 5, 2021: Swearing into the Minnesota Legislature

On January 5, 2021, Omar Fateh was sworn into the Minnesota legislature. During his first term, the Senate was under Republican control while the DFL controlled the House and governor's office.

2021: Authored Bill on Fentanyl Test Strips

In 2021, Omar Fateh authored a bill that passed during the 2021–22 session, exempting fentanyl test strips from being considered drug paraphernalia.

2021: Support for Replacing Minneapolis Police Department

In 2021, Omar Fateh supported a ballot initiative aimed at replacing the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) with a Department of Public Safety, but the measure failed to pass.

2022: Primary and General Election Victories

In 2022, Omar Fateh defeated a challenger in the August 9 DFL primary, winning every precinct. He then defeated Republican nominee Andrew Schmitz in the November general election with over 90% of the vote.

2022: Appointment to Senate Committees

In 2022, after Democrats won a "trifecta" and took control of the Senate, House, and governor's office, Omar Fateh was appointed chair of the Senate Higher Education committee and vice chair of the Senate Human Services Committee.

January 2023: Report on Fentanyl Test Strips

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".

2023: Minimum Wage Bill for Rideshare Drivers

In 2023, Omar Fateh was the chief author of a bill to provide minimum wages and worker protections for drivers for rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft. The bill had bipartisan support and passed the House and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Tim Walz.

November 20, 2024: Mayoral Candidacy Announcement

On November 20, 2024, Omar Fateh declared his candidacy for mayor of Minneapolis in the 2025 election.

2024: Revised Rideshare Legislation

In 2024, Omar Fateh worked on a revised form of the legislation for the 2024 session, which passed with Governor Walz's support. The minimum wage went into effect in late 2024.

July 19, 2025: DFL Endorsement and Revocation

On July 19, 2025, the Minneapolis DFL endorsed Omar Fateh over incumbent mayor Jacob Frey, but the Minnesota DFL revoked the endorsement after Frey appealed, citing a poorly secured registration spreadsheet and technical difficulties.

October 6, 2025: Mayoral Debate on Homelessness

On October 6, 2025, during a mayoral debate, Omar Fateh addressed his position on homelessness, stating that encampments as they currently exist would not form under his administration due to a public health approach.

2025: Public Safety Platform

In 2025, Omar Fateh stated that replacing the MPD "isn't on the table" and his 2025 platform includes an increase in public safety resources. He has also called for a ban on MPD's cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.