MyPillow’s Mike Lindell says he’s taking steps toward running for Minnesota governor

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is moving closer to a run for Minnesota governor, saying he has re-established residency in the state after recently living in Texas.

Lindell, who said he owns homes here and in Texas, acknowledged earlier this year he’d need to re-establish his Minnesota residency to run for governor. Candidates for governor must live in the state for at least one year before the general election.

In an interview this week, Lindell said he also has polled hypothetical matchups against DFL Gov. Tim Walz, who is seeking a third term, and other Republicans running for governor.

“We’re about 99% there,” Lindell said of a possible gubernatorial campaign. “I love the state, I love the country and if I’m the only one that can win, that would be a shame if that opportunity slipped by.”

Lindell could be a contender for the GOP nomination in Minnesota with his name recognition, his close relationship with President Donald Trump and his promotion of debunked election fraud theories. Activists who decide the Republican Party of Minnesota’s endorsement often choose candidates who take hardline stances on issues such as abortion or election denialism, even if it hurts them in the general election.

Lindell has said he’d run on a platform of “secure elections” and “common sense” if he seeks the governorship. He’s previously criticized Walz for his response to the 2020 riots in Minneapolis and said Minnesota’s education system has worsened during the DFL governor’s tenure.

Other Republicans running for governor in Minnesota include 2022 nominee Scott Jensen, GOP state Rep. Kristin Robbins, businessman Kendall Qualls, former U.S. Naval intelligence officer Phillip Parrish and retired mixed martial arts fighter Brad Kohler.

“Now that Mike is back in town, he wants to turn Minnesota into his next failed business. Let’s be clear: A Lindell governorship would be marked by lawsuits, schemes, and loopholes for corporations to screw workers,” Carlbom said.

This isn’t the first time Lindell has mused about running for the state’s top office. He floated the possibility of challenging Walz in the 2022 election but ultimately decided against it, even as Trump encouraged him to run.

The pillow magnate has faced immense challenges in recent years after staking his reputation on the baseless theory that the 2020 presidential election was stolen. Many big-box stores dropped Lindell’s MyPillow in 2021, and unpaid rent and risky loans have piled up for the company as it finds its way without major retailers.

Lindell is on the hook for $2.3 million, pending appeal, following a defamation verdict related to his election-fraud claims. He said in testimony during that case he is $10 million in debt. He is still facing two additional defamation cases that voting machine companies brought against him, and he might be headed to the Supreme Court about a $5 million ruling in his “Prove Mike Wrong” contest.

As he nears a decision on a gubernatorial run, Lindell said he first needs to figure out how campaign finance rules could affect his business.

“If you see this guy every day in a commercial … is that unfair advertising? I don’t know that.”

Asked if he’s spoken with Trump about running against Walz, Lindell said no. “What I discuss with the president all the time is getting rid of the electronic voting machines, securing our elections.”

Records show Lindell had recently been living in Lufkin, Texas, and had been registered to vote in the Lone Star State since January 2023. He told the Minnesota Star Tribune earlier this year that his wife is from the east Texas city of about 34,000 and that some of their family members live there.

Lindell said “there also was a lot of stuff that I had to do in Texas,” referring to his efforts to push local governments to ditch voting machines in favor of hand-counted paper ballots.