City Council Member Emily Koski enters race for Minneapolis mayor

Minneapolis City Council Member Emily Koski announced her candidacy for mayor, seeking to unseat Jacob Frey at a time she says the city is “at a crossroads.”

Koski, who has represented Ward 11 on the council since her election in 2021, is the latest person to take on Frey, joining DFL State Sen. Omar Fateh and Rev. DeWayne Davis.

In her campaign announcement, Koski presented herself as someone who is focused on “building bridges” with people of varying perspectives and “following through” on promises.

That’s in contrast with her estimation of Frey: “His focus on creating conflict, turning every issue, every problem into us versus them, building division, not solutions, and his failure to lead us through our toughest challenges.”

She cited spats between the City Council and Mayor’s Office on a number of issues, including where to place the 3rd Police Precinct, how to address homelessness in the city, and how to improve police staffing and retention.

Koski also highlighted her willingness to “make the tough decisions” with the city’s budget and to take a “critical look at what’s working and what isn’t” in an effort to alleviate pressure on homeowners and renters, who will shoulder what she called “the highest property tax increase in over a decade.”

She drew on her lifelong residency in Minneapolis and her business experience, both in a large corporate environment at Target and as a small business owner. She also invoked her family legacy, quoting a speech by her late father, Al Hofstede, who served on the Minneapolis City Council and was elected to two terms as mayor in the 1970s.

“‘We are currently involved in a battle, the conclusion of which will do much to determine the future of our city. Momentum has been stalled — stalled by a government without vision, without leadership, without action. I want to be part of making the city what it can and should be,’ and Dad, I couldn’t agree more,” Koski said.

Sam Schulenberg, a campaign spokesman for Mayor Frey, responded to Koski’s remarks on Wednesday, criticizing her for doubling back on certain issues.

“Over the last two years on the Minneapolis City Council, Emily Koski has changed her position on everything from paying police officers more to regulating Uber and Lyft,” Schulenberg said. “Minneapolis voters deserve a clear vision and Mayor Frey will continue to outline his. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing what the Council Member stands for in this election cycle.”