Minneapolis Ward 2 DFL convention ends with no City Council endorsement

Minneapolis DFLers failed to endorse a candidate Saturday to oppose incumbent Robin Wonsley for the City Council’s Ward 2 seat, which represents the University of Minnesota and Como and Seward neighborhoods.

At least 40% of the delegates voted for “no endorsement,” and attempts to continue the convention past Saturday to obtain an endorsement failed.

More than 50 people caucused for Wonsley, but delegates ruled their votes were invalid in part because Wonsley wasn’t seeking an endorsement.

The convention was held at the U’s Rarig Center despite a lawsuit filed by delegates Anthony Scallon and Karen Karkula. They contended it should be held in a bigger space on June 1 and that Wonsley — a self-described Democratic Socialist — wanted to block endorsement so she could campaign without a strong DFL challenge.

The convention, she wrote, “may be messy, may be chaotic, may require a continued date, and may result in further rifts, challenges or problems. The Court finds it is likely these issues will arise regardless of whether the convention occurs on May 3, 2025, or on an alternative date.”

Wonsley had written on social media that she didn’t seek the endorsement because the ward has worked independently of the city’s DFL party and because “conservative power players have backed challengers seeking the DFL endorsement in an attempt to prevent me from being elected.”