Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth won the Republican primary for governor on Tuesday, defeating MyPillow founder Mike Lindell and advancing to face Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November. Demuth captured 43.4 percent of the vote, while Lindell, known as the “my pillow guy,” received 32.5 percent, according to the Associated Press.
Lindell had stepped down as MyPillow CEO in early August to focus full-time on his gubernatorial campaign. Despite securing an endorsement from President Donald Trump in July, Lindell lost to a candidate the Minnesota Republican Party had backed during its May convention. Kendall Qualls, a businessman and Army veteran, finished third with 21.4 percent of the vote.
Demuth, 59, has presided over a state House nearly evenly divided between Republicans and Democrats. She campaigned on her ability to work across the aisle and on her experience negotiating state budgets with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, arguing she could fight for conservative priorities while maintaining legislative effectiveness. She said much of her campaign in the general election will focus on fighting fraud in state government programs.
Lindell’s defeat marks a notable setback for Trump’s primary endorsement record. According to NBC News, Lindell’s loss is the third defeat for a Trump-endorsed candidate in gubernatorial races over the past two weeks. While Trump-backed candidates have won approximately 97 percent of their 2026 primary races overall, Lindell’s loss in Minnesota underscores the limits of presidential endorsements in certain competitive state races.
Some Republican leaders had questioned Lindell’s electability before the primary, citing concerns about his residency, his business record, and his prominent role in promoting false claims about the 2020 election. Republicans also worried that Lindell’s close association with Trump could hurt in the general election, given that Trump has lost Minnesota in all three of his presidential runs. Demuth’s fundraising advantage and message of legislative experience proved decisive in the crowded field.
Demuth will now face Klobuchar, who won the Democratic primary decisively with 89.7 percent of the vote, in the November general election for an open seat after Gov. Tim Walz opted not to seek a third term.
Sources
- NPR — final vote totals, Demuth’s background as House Speaker, details of her campaign message, and Trump’s endorsement of Lindell
- Associated Press — confirmation of Demuth’s primary victory and vote percentages
- NBC News — Trump endorsement record and context on recent losses
- Fox9 — Lindell’s decision to step down as MyPillow CEO in August 2026
