The Cities Blog

Schiff staying in race, but urges delegates to support Hodges

Minneapolis mayoral candidate Gary Schiff is simultaneously continuing his own campaign while publicly urging his supporters to back his opponent, Betsy Hodges, for the DFL endorsement.

Hodges and Mark Andrew are the two remaining candidates for the endorsement, and Andrew is leading with 42 percent of the vote on the second ballot.

"Candidates, like delegates and alternates get second choices," Schiff told a crowd outside the convention auditorium. "My second choice is the candidate that most shares my progressive values and the values of the people I have fought for for the last 12 years on the city council."

Minneapolis DFL Chair Dan McConnell said Schiff's motives were clear: "He's trying to block the endorsement."

Schiff and Hodges both pledge to end their campaigns if Andrew succeeded in securing the party endorsement. Delegates are awaiting the results of the third ballot.