Replacing Minneapolis PD Seen as Political Quicksand for Democrats
The plan to remove the Minneapolis police department has divided Democrats, with some warning that it could cost them seats and fighting against it.
Landwebs
As Minneapolis considers replacing the city’s police department, the effort is sharply dividing Democrats along ideological lines, with some moderates slamming the plan and blaming the recent calls to “dismantle” or “defund” police for costing the party seats in statehouses and Congress in 2020, reports the Associated Press. The debate is dominating the city’s mayoral and City Council races.
The state’s best-known progressives — U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Attorney General Keith Ellison — support the plan, which would replace the police department with a new Department of Public Safety. Other top Democrats, including Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov. Tim Walz, oppose it. “If we talk about reforming the police, people are overwhelmingly in favor of it. When we say ‘defund,’ we lose the argument,” said Colin Strother, a Texas-based Democratic strategist. “Democrats that keep using ‘defund the police’ are only hurting themselves and the cause, quite frankly.” Defeating the Minneapolis measure has become a critical, high-profile test.
