Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and a prominent Trump ally, officially registered on Wednesday to raise campaign funds for a potential run for governor of Minnesota. Lindell indicated he is “98 percent sure” he will enter the crowded Republican primary, aiming to challenge two-term Democratic Gov. Tim Walz. He plans to make a formal announcement on Dec. 11.
Lindell joins a field of roughly a dozen Republican candidates, including Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, state Rep. Kristin Robbins, and Twin Cities attorney Chris Madel. Lindell has been a controversial figure in recent years, notably spreading false claims about the 2020 election and facing multiple legal challenges. Most recently, he lost a $2.3 million defamation case over statements regarding a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems and was ordered to pay a $5 million reward from a 2021 “cyber symposium” contest. Lindell’s entry adds another high-profile name to the race as tensions between Walz and former President Trump, with whom Lindell is closely aligned, continue to intensify in Minnesota politics.