Minneapolis plunged into political gridlock Tuesday night as 15 mayoral hopefuls split the vote so evenly that not one candidate cleared the 50-percent threshold. The result: a costly, drawn-out ranked-choice runoff that will leave this city without decisive leadership as crime soars and taxpayers pay the price.

This debacle lays bare the failure of progressive rule. Crime is up, businesses are fleeing, and public safety is a distant memory. Yet Minneapolis voters couldn’t unite behind a clear alternative. Instead, they rewarded radical promises and entrenched incumbency.

Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey limped to the front only because Democrats can’t shake their grip on City Hall. His tenure has been defined by empty slogans and vetoes of common-sense reforms. Under Frey, Minneapolis has become a cautionary tale of soft-on-crime politics.

Leading the insurgency is State Sen. Omar Fateh, the self-styled “Mamdani of Minneapolis.” Backed by the Twin Cities chapter of Democratic Socialists of America and Rep. Ilhan Omar’s “Squad,” Fateh paints himself as the champion of “transformative justice,” even as he courts far-left radicals bent on upending the rule of law.

Fateh won—and then lost—the coveted DFL endorsement this summer after a party committee exposed irregularities. Voters saw the backroom chaos firsthand when the party’s chairman rescinded his support, citing “substantial failures” in the endorsement process. Yet the socialist juggernaut rolls on.

Minneapolis’s ranked-choice system allows voters to rank up to three candidates. If no one tops 50 percent on first choices, lowest finishers are eliminated and ballots reallocate until someone crosses the finish line. It’s a convoluted process that breeds uncertainty and drains resources—hardly the clarity a city in crisis needs.

With Frey and Fateh forced into a second round, every vote counts twice. Fateh has urged supporters to rank pastor DeWayne Davis and attorney Jazz Hampton next, attempting to game the system. Frey is scrambling to shore up his base before ballots are retabulated.

This political circus unfolds against a backdrop of tragedy. In August, a gunman massacred worshippers at a back-to-school Mass, killing two children and injuring 17 others. Violent crime in Minneapolis has surged 20 percent under current leadership. Meanwhile, business investment has cratered, and homeowners are left vulnerable.

National Democrats touted Minneapolis as a model for social justice. In reality, they’ve delivered chaos. Gov. Tim Walz and Sen. Amy Klobuchar even stamped their endorsements on Frey’s re-election bid, yet they can’t stem the bleeding. The city’s decline is undeniable.

Ranked choice won’t fix Minneapolis’s problems. Voters deserve straight, accountable races with clear winners and losers, not endless rounds of tabulation that favor the most organized faction—today’s radical left.

Republicans and conservatives in Minnesota must seize this moment. Offer a bold vision: zero-tolerance for violent crime, real school choice, fiscal responsibility, and respect for law enforcement. Show voters there is an alternative to this progressive train wreck.

Minneapolis can’t afford another summer lost to political infighting and empty promises. The only way forward is a decisive, common-sense leadership that puts residents’ safety and prosperity first. Anything less is unacceptable.