MyPillow Founder Mike Lindell Won’t Concede Losing Minnesota Primary—As Trump Stays Silent

Aug 14, 2026 12:31 AM - 2 hours ago 1

Topline

MyPillow laminitis Mike Lindell has refused to concede his nonaccomplishment successful Tuesday’s Minnesota GOP gubernatorial primary—as President Donald Trump, who endorsed Lindell, has stayed silent astir the results, contempt Lindell draining his luck promoting Trump’s mendacious 2020 predetermination fraud claims.

Mike Lindell, Republican campaigner for Minnesota governor, speaks during a Minnesota Governor Candidate Forum.

Key Facts

The Associated Press called the race for Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth astatine 11:26 p.m. EDT connected Tuesday arsenic the authorities speaker had secured 43.6% of the 93% of the votes counted.

Lindell, who was backed by President Donald Trump, came a distant 2nd pinch 32.3%% of the votes.

Kendall Qualls, a erstwhile healthcare executive who has backed the Minnesota GOP, placed 3rd pinch 21.4% of the vote.

Lindell told reporters aft the title was called his squad needed “a day” to reappraisal the results, claiming, without evidence, they’ve “seen a mates of anomalies.”

Trump, who wrote connected Truth Social earlier Tuesday that Lindell “deserves a BIG WIN IN MINNESOTA today” hasn’t commented publically connected Lindell’s loss.

Lindell has said he went collapsed defending himself successful aggregate defamation suits revenge against him by voting instrumentality companies for pushing Trump’s predetermination fraud claims successful 2020.

His nonaccomplishment adds to the mini but increasing database of Trump-endorsed GOP candidates who person grounded to triumph their primaries.

What To Watch For

Polls show Democratic nominee Sen. Amy Klobuchar pinch a wide lead successful the wide election.

Tangent

Lindell has faced respective controversies during the campaign. The Minnesota Republican Party questioned whether Lindell has lived successful the authorities agelong capable to meet the qualifications for governor. Lindell said he lived successful Texas arsenic precocious arsenic past year, but moved backmost to Minnesota earlier the one-year deadline anterior to the Nov. 3 wide predetermination to suffice arsenic a candidate. A judge besides recovered probable origin past week that Lindell whitethorn person violated run laws by giving retired pillows successful packaging that said “Mike Lindell for Governor” during a July Fourth parade. Lindell, who stepped down arsenic CEO of MyPillow, settled a $1 cardinal defamation suit pinch Dominion Voting Systems past period aft the institution sued him for spreading mendacious claims the institution rigged the 2020 statesmanlike election. A judge besides recovered he defamed the Smartmatic voting institution by making akin mendacious allegations, though damages person not been wished successful the case.

Key Background

Democratic Minnesota Gov. Mike Walz, Kamala Harris’ moving mate successful the 2024 statesmanlike election, announced successful January he would not activity a 3rd word pursuing revelations of a monolithic use and societal services fraud scheme. Walz said he was dropping retired of the title to attraction connected his activity arsenic politician and woody pinch the fallout of the fraud scheme. Federal prosecutors person estimated the magnitude stolen could apical $9 billion, a fig Walz has disputed, but has acknowledged could agelong into the billions. Trump and his friends person utilized the strategy to target Walz’s Democratic management and the state’s Somali community, arsenic immoderate of the defendants are of Somali descent. The lawsuit involves aggregate programs that person nationalist backing crossed kid services, education, daycares and nutrient security.