Trump-endorsed Mike Lindell defeated by Lisa Demuth in Minnesota governor primary

In Tuesday’s Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth secured 45.1% of the vote, defeating Trump-endorsed MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, who received 31%. Because Minnesota lacks runoff elections, Demuth advances to the November ballot against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, despite not reaching a majority. The contest became a proxy battle between Donald Trump, who praised Lindell as the “best pick” on Truth Social, and the Minnesota Republican Party, whose chairman warned that the nominee must be able to defeat Klobuchar.

Party officials had earlier backed healthcare executive Kendall Qualls, who won an internal poll at the Duluth convention. After failing to secure the nomination, Lindell shifted his support to Qualls as an anti-establishment choice. Lindell, who has faced lawsuits over election-fraud claims and recently stepped down from MyPillow to focus on the race, also runs a media outlet, LindellTV.com.