Minneapolis minister launches run for mayor

The Rev. DeWayne Davis — the 15th child of Mississippi sharecroppers — took the stage Monday night in a north Minneapolis performing arts theater and announced he is running for mayor.

After working as a congressional staffer for 15 years, Davis was ordained in 2012 and moved to Minneapolis about 11 years ago. He is the lead minister of Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis.

Davis has served as a Minnesota Legislature chaplain and co-chaired Mayor Jacob Frey’s Minneapolis Community Safety Work Group that recommended public safety reforms.

Rather than working in the background, Davis said he’s now ready to “take the reins of government.”

He talked about housing affordability, homelessness, crime and a declining tax base, and said his campaign will revolve around dignity, opportunity and safety. When “everybody counts” and has a job and transportation, “then communities will be safe.”

“We don’t have time to leave anybody behind,” he said.

Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando endorsed Davis at the event, along with former Minneapolis City Council Vice President Elizabeth Glidden. Glidden, a member of Plymouth Congregational, said Davis will focus on problems rather than “admiring challenges” and being “mired in political factionalism.”

“We need fresh leadership for the city of Minneapolis,” she told the crowd gathered.

Davis’s campaign said his priorities will be:

• Creating stronger partnerships across jurisdictions to approach long-standing issues such as homelessness.

• Strengthening public safety to ensure that every 911 call receives a timely and appropriate response.

• Ensuring everyone has a safe and affordable home.

• Strengthening the city’s ability to deliver basic services.

• Easing the burden of rising property taxes by cutting city spending.

• Protecting immigrant and LGBTQ residents from “potential harms from the incoming Trump Administration.”

Frey has said he’s running for re-election, although he hasn’t officially launched his campaign. Council Member Emily Koski is also running for mayor, along with Sen. Omar Fateh and former City Council candidate Brenda Short.