Lisa Demuth Defeats Trump-Backed Mike Lindell in Minnesota Republican Gubernatorial Primary

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth defeated MyPillow founder Mike Lindell in the Republican primary for governor, dealing a blow to President Donald Trump’s endorsement as voters chose Demuth over Trump-backed Lindell.

“With 73% of votes counted, the Associated Press called the race”

Talking Points Memo

NBC News said the expected vote is an estimate based on information provided to vote reporters from county election officials, with projections by the NBC News Decision Desk.

Democracy Docket

The Associated Press called the race with 73% of votes counted just before 11:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, with Lindell receiving 31.3% of the vote to Demuth’s 44.7%.

In the Democratic contest, Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan defeated Representative Angie Craig and will contest the seat being vacated by Senator Tina Smith, while Sen. Amy Klobuchar was expected to win her gubernatorial primary decisively.

Trump had thrown his weight behind Lindell just hours before polls closed, writing on Truth Social that he “deserves a BIG WIN IN MINNESOTA today.”

Open Magazine reported that Demuth will now face Democratic candidate and current US Senator Amy Klobuchar in November, after voters backed Demuth in Minnesota’s GOP gubernatorial primary.

Forbes

NPR said Demuth, 59, will advance to run in the fall against Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, after Lindell received the president’s endorsement last month and faced Kendall Qualls, a businessman who received the state Republican Party’s nod in May.

Talking Points Memo added that Lindell told TPM in June that his focus was on “campaigning against Amy Klobuchar, and these numbers should take care of itself when the people vote in August,” even as the primary result left him out of the governor’s race.

The Hill described Lindell’s loss as “Trump comes up short with Lindell in Minnesota gubernatorial primary,” while The Washington Post said Sen. Amy Klobuchar won the Democratic nomination for Minnesota governor and Demuth won the GOP primary according to the Associated Press.

“No Republican has won a statewide election in this state since 2006”

Fox News

Fox News framed the outcome as a GOP gubernatorial nomination for Demuth to succeed outgoing governor Walz, and it said “No Republican has won a statewide election in this state since 2006.”

Forbes reported that the Associated Press called the race for Demuth at 11:26 p.m. ET as Demuth secured 43.6% of the 93% of the votes counted, while Lindell came second with 32.3% and Kendall Qualls placed third with 21.4%.

In the background of the general-election fight, NPR said Walz opted not to run for a third term and would focus on tackling fraud in state programs in his time left in office, while Forbes tied the contest to Trump’s endorsement and Lindell’s controversies during the campaign.