Mike Lindell, the former My Pillow CEO and a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, has refused to acknowledge his defeat in the Minnesota Republican primary for governor. Despite trailing Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth by an 11-percentage-point margin, Lindell expressed skepticism regarding the election results on the night of the vote.
As the race progressed, Lindell suggested that 265,000 ballots cast on Election Day remained uncounted, claiming these votes could potentially shift the outcome in his favor. He told reporters late Tuesday that he would not concede if the Associated Press called the race for his opponent. The Associated Press officially called the election at 11:26 p.m. on Tuesday, August 11, with Demuth securing the nomination.
By the morning of Wednesday, August 12, the Minnesota Secretary of State’s office confirmed that all precincts had been counted. The final tally showed Demuth winning with 179,546 votes compared to Lindell’s 134,198, representing a 43% to 32% victory. Demuth is now set to face U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the Democratic nominee, in the upcoming November election.
Following the results, Lindell questioned the integrity of Minnesota's computerized counting system, advocating for a return to paper ballots. He informed reporters that he was consulting with various teams regarding potential "anomalies" in the voting process, though he did not provide specific details. "It just doesn't make sense, you guys. So we need a day. We're going to look into it," Lindell stated.
Earlier in the evening, Lindell had expressed optimism when he observed a temporary shift in the returns, believing he was on the verge of overtaking Demuth. However, the anticipated surge did not materialize. Since the conclusion of the primary, the Lindell campaign has not responded to inquiries, and the candidate has made no further public statements regarding his refusal to concede. Lindell, who stepped down from his role at My Pillow to pursue the governorship, remains a prominent figure known for his continued, unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.
