(The Hill) — Mike Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow and an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, announced a bid for governor of Minnesota on Thursday, joining a growing field of candidates vying to oust incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (D) next year.
“I’m officially running for Governor of Minnesota. After prayerful consideration and hearing from so many of you across our great state, I’ve made the decision to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race. I’m still standing and I’ll stand for you,” Lindell said on social media.
Lindell, who founded his pillow company in Minnesota in the early aughts, reportedly filed paperwork to run last week, telling the Minnesota Star Tribune that he was considering the move.
He enters the GOP primary field alongside former state Sen. Scott Jensen (R), Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, state Rep. Kristin Robbins (R) and others, with the primary set for August.
“We’ve seen what happens when we elect a con man to the highest office in America. We can’t let it happen here in Minnesota,” Walz said in a Thursday post on X, responding to Lindell’s announcement.
Lindell, in recent years, has faced lawsuits against his business and scrutiny over his claims about the 2020 election. A federal judge in Minnesota ruled earlier this year that Lindell defamed the election tech company Smartmatic with false claims about its voting machines.
Walz, who is seeking a third term, defeated Jensen in 2022 by nearly 8 points, while then-Vice President Kamala Harris — with Walz as her running mate — won the state by just over four points in 2024.
The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the 2026 governor’s race as “likely Democratic.”