by Garrett FriskThe primary purpose of Diamond Eye Candidate Report is to bring attention to candidates who haven't otherwise received any news coverage, especially congressional candidates. But ironically, the people whose declarations of candidacy most often go unreported are the incumbent members of Congress themselves. Some incumbents send out a press release confirming their re-election plans, but most quietly file their paperwork without making an announcement; in many cases, nobody knows for sure that a member of Congress is seeking re-election until the final candidate list is released. That's why Diamond Eye Candidate Report emailed the office of every member of Congress who has yet to publicly announce whether they'll seek another term in 2024 to determine who has and hasn't made up their mind. This article will be continuously updated as more offices get back to us. As of now, these are the responses we have gotten: Running for re-election
Still deciding
by Garrett Frisk Image credit: U.S. Senate Senator Amy Klobuchar is something of an electoral powerhouse in the state of Minnesota. In her 2018 re-election campaign, she took 60.3% of the vote in the general election, winning every congressional district in the state; in the simultaneous special election for Minnesota's other Senate seat, Democratic nominee Tina Smith took only 53.0% of the vote. Even though Klobuchar's 2020 presidential campaign was a failure, her electoral strength in her home state is hard to doubt; with this in mind, it's not difficult to see why no prominent Republicans have announced they'll run against Klobuchar in 2024 or even expressed interest in doing so. However, there are two lesser-known Republicans who have announced they'll take the plunge and take on Klobuchar.  Image credit: John Berman The first is John Berman, an engineer who has run for U.S. Senate in three different states. In 2020, Berman in the Republican Senate primaries in both Minnesota and Kansas; he polled 6.6% of the vote in the former primary and 0.2% in the latter. He then ran in the general election in Minnesota as a write-in candidate, receiving 2 votes. In 2022, he attempted to run in three states' Republican Senate primaries: New Hampshire, Ohio, and Wisconsin. However, he only reached the ballot in the former state, winning 0.7% of the vote. Berman's campaigns are part of a movement he calls "Make America Geeky Again," whose goal is to "disable (and ultimately eradicate) the lawyer monopoly." Now, Berman says, his movement "returns to Minnesota against Klobuchar." Berman's campaign website can be found here.  Image credit: Patrick Munro The second is Patrick Munro, who operates a lawn and landscaping services company. Like Berman, Munro is far from a first-time candidate; after losing a Republican primary for state senate in 2010, he ran for U.S. Senate in 2014, taking 2.8% in the primary. Munro then launched three straight primary challenges to Republican U.S. Representative Tom Emmer; his best performance was in 2020, when he polled 12.9% of the vote in the primary. Munro appears to have sat out 2022, but now he's back, and has launched a Senate campaign website for 2024.
by Garrett Frisk Image credit: Soren Stevenson Today, the Minneapolis DFL held its endorsement caucus for the 6th and 8th city council wards. The 6th ward caucus pitted incumbent Jamal Osman against challengers Kayseh Magan and Tiger Worku; Abdirizak Bihi was also in the race, but dropped out a few days before the caucus. However, the caucus was postponed because the DFL's Somali interpreter never showed up. In the 8th ward, the DFL bucked Andrea Jenkins, the incumbent president of the Minneapolis City Council; they instead chose to endorse her challenger, policy advocate Soren Stevenson. Stevenson received 202 delegate votes to 88 for Jenkins, while 9 returned a blank ballot. 180 votes, or 60%, were required to win the endorsement. Jenkins said earlier in the convention that she would not drop out of the race if she lost the DFL endorsement. This story was updated to include the candidates for ward 6.
by Garrett Frisk Image credit: city of Minneapolis Today, the Minneapolis DFL held its endorsement caucus in the 4th ward. Delegates voted to endorse incumbent councilmember LaTrisha Vetaw for reelection. The endorsement was contested by nursing assistant and small business owner Marvina Haynes, a late entrant into the race. Haynes's campaign website can be found here. Vetaw received 63 delegate votes to 8 for Haynes, while 3 delegates voted not to endorse a candidate. A previous Diamond Eye Candidate Report article stated that Angela Geniece Williams was seeking the DFL endorsement in this ward; she actually appears to be seeking the Republican endorsement.
by Garrett FriskIn a previous article, Diamond Eye Candidate Report detailed the candidates running for Minneapolis City Council. At that time, only one ward had held a convention: the 13th ward, where incumbent Linea Palmisano won with 142 delegate votes to 5 for challenger Kate Mortenson, while 46 voted not to endorse a candidate. Since then, the Minneapolis DFL has held conventions in two wards, and endorsed a candidate in each ward. Candidates were required to receive the support of 60% of delegates at the caucus in order to win the DFL's endorsement. In the 3rd ward, incumbent Michael Rainville secured the Minneapolis DFL's endorsement with 216 delegate votes, while challengers Conrad Zbikowski and Marcus Mills received 55 and 29 votes, respectively. Zbikowski had promised to drop out of the race if he lost the DFL endorsement, and followed through on that pledge shortly after the convention ended, though Mills said he'd stay in the race.
In the 12th ward, where incumbent Andrew Johnson is retiring, Aurin Chowdhury unexpectedly claimed the DFL's endorsement on the first ballot. Chowdhury received 183 delegate votes, with the other candidates far behind—Luther Ranheim received 73, Jerome Evans received 18, and Nancy Ford received 12. The remaining DFL conventions will be held throughout April and May. The next conventions will be held in wards 2 and 9 on April 30. This story was updated to include the results of the 13th ward convention. by Garrett Frisk Image credit: city of Minneapolis In a previous article, Diamond Eye Candidate Report detailed every contested race for the Minneapolis City Council. However, since that article, one councilmember who was previously running unopposed has drawn a challenger: Emily Koski, who represents the 11th ward. Koski was first elected in 2021, unseating incumbent councilmember Jeremy Schroeder in a 28% landslide. Her campaign website can be found here. The Minneapolis DFL's website lists all candidates who are seeking their endorsement and have filled out an endorsement questionnaire, and until recently, Koski was the only candidate listed on the 11th ward page. However, it was recently updated with a new respondent, Rebecca Donley.  Image credit: Rebecca Donley Donley does not seem to have launched a campaign website, nor does her campaign have much presence on social media. However, she appears to be heavily active in the community. When the website Southwest Voices published a profile of Emily Koski, someone named Rebecca Donley—identified as a "Ward 11 Community Member and member of Ward Eleven Allied Voices for Equity (WEAVE)"--left a comment criticizing it as a "puff piece." WEAVE is a community group which is heavily critical of Koski. In February, they published an open letter criticizing several votes she had taken; the letter is signed by, among others, Rebecca Donley. Back in 2022, Donley published an op;ed of her own which takes aim at Koski and the city council as a whole. The op;ed identifies Donley as a "Ward 11 resident with over 15 years of experience supporting survivors of abuse and providing training about the dynamics of abuse." It appears that Donley is now planning to take her opposition to Koski to the ballot box.
by Garrett FriskIn a previous article, Diamond Eye Candidate Report broke down the current state of play in every contested race for the Minneapolis City Council this year. In this article, we will list every noteworthy endorsement in these races so far. This article will be continuously updated as new endorsements are announced.  Image credit: Elliott Payne Ward 1 Elliott Payne: -Minneapolis DFL -U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar -Attorney General Keith Ellison -State representative Sydney Jordan -Hennepin County commission chair Irene Fernando -Minneapolis school board member Abdul Abdi -Our Revolution Twin Cities -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus -OutFront Minnesota -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -SEIU Minnesota  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 2 Robin Wonsley: -U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar -State senator Zaynab Mohamed -State representatives Esther Agbaje, Cedrick Frazier, Aisha Gomez, Athena Hollins, Kate Knuth (former), Fue Lee, Mohamud Noor, and Samantha Sencer-Mura -Hennepin County commissioner Angela Conley -Minneapolis city councilor Jeremiah Ellison -Minneapolis Board of Estimate & Taxation member Samantha Pree-Stinson -Minneapolis Park Board commissioner Becky Alper -Ironworker and activist Randy Bryce -Community organizer and 2021 mayoral candidate Sheila Nezhad -UMN Democratic Socialists of America -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -OutFront Minnesota -SEIU Minnesota -Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Our Revolution Twin Cities The Minneapolis DFL declined to endorse a candidate in this race after nobody filed to seek it.  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 3 Michael Rainville: -Minneapolis DFL -Attorney General Keith Ellison -Former mayor Sharon Sayles Belton -Former Minneapolis city councilor Don Samuels -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Minneapolis Firefighters (IAFF Local 82)  Image credit: Conrad Zbikowski Conrad Zbikowski (withdrawn): -State representative Esther Agbaje -Hennepin County commission chair Irene Fernando -Minneapolis Park Board commissioner Becky Alper -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus -OutFront Minnesota -Our Revolution Twin Cities Marcus Mills: -Former Minneapolis city councilor Jeremy Schroeder -Community organizer and 2021 mayoral candidate Sheila Nezhad -Our Revolution Twin Cities Ward 4 LaTrisha Vetaw: -Minneapolis DFL -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 5 Jeremiah Ellison: -Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council -Our Revolution Twin Cities -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus The Minnesota DFL canceled its caucus in this district, and no endorsement will be issued. Ward 6 Kayseh Magan: -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus Tiger Worku: -St. Paul city councilor Nelsie Yang  Image credit: Scott Graham Ward 7 Scott Graham: -Former Minnesota DFL chair Mike Erlandson -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus Katie Cashman: -Former state senator Patricia Torres Ray -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus -OutFront Minnesota -Our Revolution Twin Cities  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 8 Andrea Jenkins: -U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar -Attorney General Keith Ellison -Minneapolis school board member Ira Jourdain -Victory Fund -Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council -OutFront Minnesota -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus -LPAC Soren Stevenson: -Minneapolis city councilor Robin Wonsley -Our Revolution Twin Cities -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 9 Jason Chavez: -Minneapolis DFL -U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar -Attorney General Keith Ellison -State senators Omar Fateh and Zaynab Mohamed -State representatives Samantha Sencer-Mura, Mohamud Noor, and Aisha Gomez -Hennepin County commissioner Angela Conley -Minneapolis Park Board commissioner Becky Alper -Minneapolis school board members Collin Beachy and Lori Norvell -Victory Fund -OutFront Minnesota -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America -Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council -Run for Something -Our Revolution Twin Cities  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 10 Aisha Chughtai: -State representatives Aisha Gomez and Frank Hornstein -Hennepin County commissioners Angela Conley and chair Irene Fernando -Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America -Our Revolution Twin Cities -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota Ward 11 Emily Koski: -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus  Image credit: Aurin Chowdhury Ward 12 Aurin Chowdhury: -Minneapolis DFL -Attorney General Keith Ellison -State senators Zaynab Mohamed and Patricia Torres Ray (former) -State representatives Samantha Sencer-Mura, Jamie Long, Aisha Gomez, and Frank Hornstein -Hennepin County commissioner Angela Conley -Minneapolis school board members Collin Beachy and Lori Norvell -Run for Something -Minneapolis Federation of Teachers (AFT Local 59) -Service Employees International Union Minnesota State Council -Minnesota Young DFL -Minnesota DFL LGBTQ Caucus -Sunrise Movement Twin Cities -OutFront Minnesota -Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America -Our Revolution Twin Cities Jerome Evans: -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus (canceled after the DFL endorsed Chowdhury) Luther Ranheim: -Minneapolis park board president Meg Forney -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus (canceled after the DFL endorsed Chowdhury) -OutFront Minnesota  Image credit: city of Minneapolis Ward 13
Linea Palmisano: -Minneapolis DFL -State representative Jamie Long -Minneapolis DFL -Minneapolis Firefighters (IAFF Local 82) -American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Council 5 -Laborers' International Union of North America - Minnesota & North Dakota -Minnesota DFL Senior Caucus by Garrett FriskThis year's city Minneapolis city council elections got off to a slow start, but as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) endorsement caucuses draw closer, candidates are starting to pile up. Here is a summary of every ward that currently has a contested election.  Image credit: Conrad Zbikowski In the 3rd ward, first-term incumbent Michael Rainville is running for re-election. His campaign website can be found here. Rainville faces two opponents: political consultant Conrad Zbikowski and community organizer Marcus Mills. Zbikowski's website can be found here, while Mills's website can be found here. First-term incumbent LaTrisha Vetaw of the 4th ward is also seeking another term. Her campaign website can be found here. Vetaw is being challenged by Angela Geniece Williams, whose campaign Facebook page can be found here.  Image credit: Jeremiah Ellison In the 5th ward, incumbent Jeremiah Ellison is running for a third term. His website can be found here. He is being challenged by pastor Victor Martinez, who ran for this district in 2021 and lost in the penultimate round of ranked-choice tabulation, peaking at 30.8% of the vote. His website can be found here. This has race attracted controversy, as the Minneapolis DFL threw out over 350 of Martinez's delegates to the DFL caucus due to allegations of fraud. The chair of the Minneapolis DFL later obtained a restraining order against Martinez after one of his supporters sent her death threats and doxxed her friend.  Image credit: Jamal Osman In the 6th ward, incumbent Jamal Osman is running for re-election. His website can be found here. He will once again face off against KFAI radio host Abdirizak Bihi, who previously ran for this district in 2020 and 2021, losing by wide margins both times. The other candidates in the race are author Tiger Worku and Kayseh Magan, a former investigator for the Minnesota Attorney General and former member of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission. Magan has challenged the validity of many of Worku's delegates. Worku's website can be found here, while Magan's website can be found here.  Image credit: Katie Cashman In the 8th ward, incumbent Lisa Goodman is retiring, and 4 candidates are running to succeed her. The first is real estate broker Scott Graham, who also serves as 5th congressional district chairman for the Minnesota DFL. His website can be found here. Also running is Katie Cashman, project coordinator for the lobbyist group Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy. Her website can be found here. The newest candidate is attorney Mark Globus, who previously ran for mayor in 2021 but only received 0.8% of the vote. His website can be found here. The final candidate is Kenneth Foxworth, who ran ran for city council in 2013 but dropped out. Foxworth is an educator who previously served as one of Minneapolis's representatives to the Democratic National Committee. His website can be found here.  Image credit: Andrea Jenkins The 9th ward is home to council president Andrea Jenkins, who is seeking another term. Her website can be found here. Currently, her only declared opponent is policy advocate Soren Stevenson. Stevenson was shot by a police officer during a 2020 protest and lost his eye; he recently won a $2.4 million settlement from the city. His website can be found here. In ward 10, incumbent Aisha Chughtai is running for a second term. Her website can be found here. She is being challenged by Nasri Warsame, whose website can be found here.  Image credit: Aurin Chowdhury 12th ward incumbent Andrew Johnson is retiring, and four candidates have stepped up to try and claim his seat. The first is Aurin Chowdhury, a senior aide to district 9 councilor Jason Chavez. Her website can be found here. The second is Jerome Evans, who hosts a show on local public access network MCN6. His website can be found here. The third is nonprofit executive Luther Ranheim, whose website can be found here. The final candidate is Nancy Ford, who owns a clothing repair business. Ford ran for this district in 2021 but lost by over 35%. Her website can be found here. Finally, 13th ward incumbent Linea Palmisano is running for re-election and is being challenged by Kate Mortenson, who founded an educational company. Palmisano's website can be found here, while Mortenson's website can be found here. This article was updated to include website links for LaTrisha Vetaw and Nasri Warsame, as well as more information about Kenneth Foxworth.
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