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MN governor's race: GOP endorsement complicates primary
A week after the state conventions, the race for Minnesota governor has become more crowded as House Speaker Lisa Demuth decides to stay in the race. Fox 9 political analyst Blois Olson discusses the potentially competitive three-way Republican primary and what the recent party endorsement actually means for Kendall Qualls.
(FOX 9) - President Trump has given MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell his endorsement in the race for Minnesota governor.
Trump endorses Lindell
What we know:
In a post on Truth Social Wednesday morning, President Trump threw his backing behind Lindell.
The president wrote in part: "Nobody has sacrificed more than Mike Lindell in fighting for our country, especially when it comes to Election Integrity. He truly deserves everything he gets - He will MAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN!!! MIKE LINDELL HAS MY COMPLETE AND TOTAL ENDORSEMENT - HE WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN."
The backstory:
The endorsement comes as no surprise. Lindell has been one of President Trump's closest allies over the years. That has come at the cost of Lindell facing multiple lawsuits over his claims about the 2020 election.
Lindell settled one defamation suit with voting machine company that was formerly known as Dominion last month. He previously lost a defamation suit against a Dominion employee Eric Coomer for false election claims. Lindell is still appealing that decision.
Voting machine company Smartmatic also sued Lindell and won a summary judgment in 2025.
Big picture view:
A SurveyUSA poll in June showed Lindell with a lead in the primary over House speaker Lisa Demuth and Minnesota GOP-endorsed candidate Kendall Qualls.