MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has filed preliminary paperwork indicating a possible run for governor of Minnesota, setting the stage for a political shake-up in the battleground state. Lindell, a staunch ally of President Donald Trump and a high-profile conservative figure, confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune that he will make a final announcement on his decision by December 11.
“I am going to announce either way on Dec. 11,” Lindell said. “I’m not 100 percent sure if I will do it.”
If Lindell enters the race and secures the Republican nomination, he would face off against Democrat Gov. Tim Walz, who is under increasing scrutiny amid a growing fraud scandal within the Minnesota state government. Over 400 employees from the Department of Health and Human Services have accused Walz of being “100% responsible for massive fraud in Minnesota,” according to statements made on the department’s employee account on X.
Whistleblowers claim they warned Walz about the fraud early on but were met with retaliation instead of corrective action.
Lindell would first need to overcome several contenders in the Republican primary, including Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, 2022 nominee Scott Jensen, Rep. Kristin Robbins, businessman Kendall Qualls, and attorney Chris Madel. However, Lindell believes polling shows he’s the strongest GOP candidate. “If there was someone to win, it would be me,” he told the Star Tribune.
Lindell’s alignment with President Trump could give him an edge among GOP voters. He has faced censorship across social media platforms and was previously banned from Twitter for alleged “civic integrity” violations — a label often used against prominent Trump supporters.
President Trump has also intensified criticism of Walz’s immigration policies, blaming the governor for rising crime and allowing unvetted migrants to flood Minnesota communities. During a recent Cabinet meeting, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Walz of endangering public safety by allowing non-citizens to operate commercial vehicles on U.S. highways.
