Lindell vs. Walz: A 2026 Showdown Begins

MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell has formally entered the race for Minnesota governor, announcing Thursday that he will seek the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) incumbent Gov. Tim Walz in 2026. The decision comes after Lindell, 64, filed exploratory paperwork last week but had not fully committed to the campaign until now.

“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,” Lindell wrote on social media. “I’m still standing and I’ll stand for you.”

Lindell, a high-profile ally of former President Donald Trump, steps into an already crowded Republican primary as Walz seeks an unprecedented third consecutive four-year term as governor — something no Minnesota governor has accomplished in the modern era.

Walz Responds: “We Can’t Let It Happen Here”

Gov. Walz did not hold back in reacting to Lindell’s announcement, drawing a direct comparison to Trump.

“We’ve seen what happens when we elect a con man to the highest office in America,” Walz said Thursday. “We can’t let it happen here in Minnesota.”

DFL party leaders quickly followed with sharp criticism.
Richard Carlbom, chair of the Minnesota DFL, said Lindell’s candidacy “represents exactly what today’s Republican Party keeps offering Minnesotans: conspiracy and chaos.”

A spokesperson for the Democratic Governors Association added:

“Far-right conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell’s entrance into Minnesota’s GOP gubernatorial primary turbocharges what was already a crowded and chaotic race to curry favor with Donald Trump at the expense of the issues that matter most to Minnesotans.”

A Crowded GOP Field

Lindell joins a Republican primary that includes:

• Lisa Demuth, Minnesota House Republican Speaker

• Dr. Scott Jensen, the 2022 GOP nominee for governor

• Rep. Kristin Robbins

• Kendall Qualls, former congressional candidate

• Chris Madel, defense attorney

With roughly a dozen candidates already in the race, the GOP contest is expected to be one of the most competitive and unpredictable in recent Minnesota history.

Lindell’s Platform: Fraud Prevention, School Reform, Taxes, and Immigration

Lindell launched a campaign website outlining his key priorities, including:

• “Stopping fraud”

• Fixing what he calls “failing school systems”

• Reducing “exploding property taxes”

• Sending “illegal immigrants back”

His message mirrors long-standing themes in his activism, particularly around election integrity — an issue that has made him a prominent national figure but has also brought significant legal challenges.

Ongoing Legal Troubles Loom Over Campaign

Lindell enters the race while facing continued legal and financial pressures.

Earlier this year, his company MyPillow was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to DHL over a shipping dispute. Lindell also faces major defamation lawsuits stemming from false claims about the 2020 election.

A judge recently ruled that Lindell defamed the election technology company Smartmatic by alleging its machines helped rig the presidential election. Lindell has made similar unsubstantiated claims about Dominion Voting Systems, which is pursuing separate litigation.

These cases may hang over the campaign as it unfolds.

Can an Outsider Break Through in Minnesota?

Minnesota has a history of occasional upsets by political outsiders — most famously independent candidate Jesse Ventura, who won the governorship in 1998. However, Minnesota has not elected a Republican to any statewide office in nearly 20 years, reflecting the state’s shift toward the DFL in recent cycles.

Whether Lindell’s high-profile persona and national following can translate into electoral strength remains an open question. His entry almost certainly reshapes the Republican primary, injecting even more national attention and controversy into a race already marked by ideological divides and competition for Trump-aligned voters.