MyPillow Founder Mike Lindell Enters Minnesota Governor Race, Sparking GOP Fears of Electoral Backlash

MINNEAPOLIS — Mike Lindell, the MyPillow founder and ardent supporter of President Donald J. Trump known for promoting baseless claims of election fraud, announced on Dec. 11, 2025, that he would seek the Republican nomination for governor of Minnesota in 2026, a move that has ignited anxiety among top GOP officials who worry his candidacy could doom their chances against Gov. Tim Walz. Lindell’s entry into the crowded primary field comes amid his ongoing financial and legal troubles, including an eviction from a warehouse for unpaid rent and millions in debts, yet he retains Trump’s vocal backing, highlighting the tensions within the Republican Party over loyalty to the president versus electoral viability.

Lindell, 64, made his announcement in a video posted to his social media accounts, framing his bid as a continuation of his fight against what he calls “election fraud.” “We’re not going to stop because I don’t want Donald Trump, our great real president, to be a band-aid,” Lindell said in a clip shared widely on X, formerly Twitter, where he has over 1 million followers. He joins a field that includes state Sen. Michelle Benson, former House Speaker Kurt Daudt, and businessman Scott Jensen, all vying to challenge Walz, who is seeking a third term in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty in 2006.

Trump’s enthusiasm for Lindell has been a double-edged sword. At a rally in Duluth on Oct. 15, 2025, Trump praised Lindell as a “warrior” who “suffered” from FBI investigations into his election claims, saying, “That man suffered. The FBI thugs went up to him and they took away everything he had. He suffered… and he never changed his mind.” Lindell, who has faced defamation lawsuits from Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic over his 2020 election allegations—resulting in over $5 million in legal fees and a $1.3 billion judgment against him—has leaned into his Trump alignment, appearing at rallies and promoting MyPillow products alongside election denialism.

However, Minnesota Republicans fear Lindell’s nomination would alienate moderates and independents in a purple state where Walz won reelection in 2022 by 7 points. “We’d be cooked,” Dustin Grage, a GOP strategist, told Politico in a Dec. 24 article, adding he’d consider moving to Florida if Lindell wins the primary. House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) was blunt: “We should be able to beat Tim Walz with a dog,” but Trump’s “flamethrower” rhetoric and preference for Lindell could sabotage that. Former Minnesota GOP deputy chair Michael Brodkorb explained to the outlet that Trump’s involvement “paints them into a corner,” leaving no room for thoughtful policy discussions. Daudt warned that a Lindell candidacy would make the race “about Trump,” easing Walz’s path to victory.

Lindell’s financial woes have compounded these concerns. On Dec. 20, a Scott County judge ordered MyPillow evicted from a Shakopee warehouse for owing over $217,000 in rent, the latest in a string of setbacks including $7.9 million in unpaid Fox News advertising fees and millions in legal debts. Lindell’s net worth, once estimated at $300 million, has plummeted; he told Bloomberg in a Nov. 15 interview that he’s “broke” but remains committed to his political ambitions. His association with retired Gen. Michael Flynn, a fellow election denier, has further polarized his image. In a 2021 video resurfaced on X by @dom_lucre on Dec. 24, Lindell claimed Flynn called his election “plan” “beautiful.”

Social media reactions reflect the GOP’s internal divide. Trump’s praise for Lindell at rallies has gone viral, with a Dec. 23 clip from @WallStreetApes showing Trump calling him a “believer” who thinks the 2020 election was “rigged” more now than ever, amassing over 268,000 views. Supportive posts, like one from @annvandersteel on Dec. 24 with over 5,700 likes, urged Minnesotans to choose Lindell over “Somali-loving” Walz, framing it as a chance to “clean house.” Conversely, @aaronpellish shared the Politico story on Dec. 24, noting Emmer’s “dog” comment, which drew 55 views and sparked discussions on GOP optimism versus Trump drag. User @Howodd69 posted on Dec. 24: “‘We’d be cooked’: tRump, Lindell test Minnesota GOP’s optimism,” linking to Politico and echoing fears of a Walz landslide.

Lindell’s political journey has been marked by controversy. After the 2020 election, he spent millions on “cyber symposia” and films promoting fraud claims, leading to his bans from major retailers like Walmart and Bed Bath & Beyond. His 2022 bid for RNC chair failed spectacularly, and a 2023 arbitration ordered him to pay $5 million to a software engineer who debunked his data. Despite this, Lindell remains a Trump stalwart, appearing at events and tying his gubernatorial run to “stopping” election theft.

Minnesota’s political landscape favors Walz, who has overseen economic growth and progressive policies like free school meals and marijuana legalization, boasting approval ratings around 55% in a December 2025 KSTP/SurveyUSA poll. The state, which Trump lost by 7 points in 2024, has trended Democratic in gubernatorial races, with Walz defeating Jensen by 8 points in 2022. GOP insiders like Grage fear Lindell’s “baggage” could suppress turnout, with Brodkorb noting Trump’s rhetoric leaves “no oxygen” for moderate appeals.

Democrats are gleeful. The DFL Party launched ads on Dec. 15 tying Lindell to “extremism,” while Walz’s campaign called him a “disaster waiting to happen.” On X, a Dec. 24 video from @dom_lucre showed Walz looking “visibly disturbed” during a Christmas message, captioned as reaction to Lindell’s bid, with over 483,000 views and 5,100 likes. Replies ranged from mockery—”Mike Lindell running for governor in Minnesota🤯 I guess if he wins everybody will get a My Pillow and some slippers🤣”—to support, like @IheartTesla’s “Tampon Tim looking like he just saw a ghost.”

Lindell’s campaign focuses on “election integrity” and economic issues, but his financial instability raises questions. MyPillow reported losses of $80 million since 2021 due to his politics, leading to asset sales and evictions. A Dec. 20 court order evicted the company from a Minnesota warehouse, part of a broader collapse including dropped lawsuits against voting machine companies.

For Republicans, Lindell’s bid tests the limits of Trumpism in a battleground state. As Daudt told Politico, “If Lindell is the candidate, that’s what the election will be about.” With primaries in August 2026, the race could define whether election denialism helps or hinders the GOP in the midterms.