What Do They Stand For? Mayoral Candidate Platforms and Progressive Policy

With the DFL city convention right around the corner, what should we expect a mayor to champion? What challenges face the people of Minneapolis in 2025? How are these campaigns talking about public policy responses to those challenges, and what policies should WE be talking about? In this in-depth episode, we walk through a number of major policy areas: public safety, federal fascism, housing, climate change, transportation, workers rights, the economy and more!

We recorded this episode mostly on July 9, 2025, with a bit more on July 11, 2025.

Don't forget to check out:

• Robin's art as part of the current Minnesota Book Arts show
• Cam's columns in Southside Pride
• Jesse acting in his partner angela olson's play Someone Always Pays, July 31 - Aug 10. Buy tickets now!

Production notes

Robin has officialy joined as a co-host!

We recorded inside this time, swapping rain/power tool/siren noise for occasional old dog panting noise! Better overall?

Apologies: we released a version of this episode with audio problems early morning on July 15. Realized it mid day and yanked the episode. Re-released with fixed audio later that evening.

Further reading

News

• SEIU endorses Omar Fateh #1, DeWayne Davis #2: that's the Instagram link. There is a full statement on a Facebook post. Includes the statement:

After previously endorsing Jacob Frey multiple times across different races, union members made clear that it was time for change to ensure the city has a leader who actually stands with working people, especially as the city and state face increased attacks from the Trump regime. On issues like improving conditions for workers, creating reforms to keep our communities safe and working to lower housing costs, Mayor Frey has continually sided with those in power and against working families.

Candidate Platforms

• Jacob Frey: as of 7/15/25 you have to be on a mobile browser (or make your desktop browser window really skinny) to see the "Delivering for Minneapolis" list. You also have to scroll down almost to the bottom.
  • Mayoral 2025 priorities: official city doc, not super obvious, but more detailed than anything we've seen from his campaign so far.
• DeWayne Davis
• Omar Fateh
• Jazz Hampton