Mike Lindell Loses Minnesota GOP Gubernatorial Primary

Mike Lindell, a candidate for the Minnesota GOP gubernatorial primary and known for his support of election denial claims, lost the primary on August 11, 2026. Despite receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Lindell garnered 31.3% of the vote, while Republican state House Speaker Lisa Demuth received 44.7%, and former health care executive Kendall Qualls received 21.4%. Demuth will face Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the general election. Lindell had previously lost the Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement to Qualls and had expressed confidence in his campaign. Following the primary, Lindell's past controversies, including a contempt of court ruling related to election fraud claims, were highlighted. He had recently stepped down as CEO of MyPillow to focus on his gubernatorial campaign.