Mike Lindell Loses Minnesota Republican Gubernatorial Primary, Refuses to Concede
Key Takeaways
- •Lisa Demuth won Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary with 43 percent of the vote, defeating Mike Lindell who secured 32 percent, with 95 percent of ballots counted.
- •Demuth made history in 2025 as the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House and will now advance as the Republican nominee for governor.
- •Lindell declined to concede the race, stating he would not give up until all votes are counted.
- •The defeat represents the third consecutive Trump endorsement failure within a two-week span, following losses by GOP Rep. Andy Ogles and a Republican candidate in a Michigan House race.
- •Trump's endorsed candidates have struggled in gubernatorial races this cycle, with losses in Iowa, Georgia, and South Carolina in addition to Minnesota.
Mike Lindell, a close ally of President Donald Trump and a prominent promoter of 2020 election fraud claims, has lost Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary, according to Politico.
Lindell, the founder and CEO of Minnesota-based pillow manufacturer MyPillow, secured 32 percent of the vote in the primary contest. State House Speaker Lisa Demuth led the field with 43 percent of the vote, with 95 percent of ballots counted. Demuth, who made history in 2025 as the first Black woman to serve as Speaker of the Minnesota House, will advance as the Republican nominee for governor. Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty left office in 2011.
Lindell declined to concede the race, telling reporters: "I'm not going to give up this race until the votes are counted."
Politico described the outcome as "one of his biggest endorsement losses of the cycle" for Trump, who had backed Lindell in the race. Lindell's national profile has been shaped as much by his business struggles as by his political activism — MyPillow was dropped by major retailers including Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond, and the company faced significant financial headwinds as Lindell poured resources into contesting the 2020 election results.
The defeat represents the third consecutive Trump endorsement failure in a two-week span. It follows a loss by GOP Rep. Andy Ogles and a Republican defeat in a Michigan House race.
Trump's endorsement record has proven especially weak in gubernatorial contests this cycle. GOP Rep. Randy Feenstra lost in Iowa, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones fell short at Georgia, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette was defeated in South Carolina — all candidates who received Trump's backing. The gubernatorial losses come as several candidates who echoed 2020 election fraud narratives have sought statewide offices, testing whether that platform remains viable with Republican primary voters.
Political commentator Mike Nellis pointed to the string of losses as evidence that Trump is becoming a "lame duck," as noted on X.
Lindell has been one of Trump's most visible supporters since the 2020 presidential election, gaining national attention for his claims about widespread voting irregularities. His gubernatorial bid marked his first run for statewide office in Minnesota.
