President Trump threw his full support behind MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell on Wednesday, giving the longtime ally his “complete and total endorsement” in Minnesota’s Republican race for governor.
In a post on social media, Trump praised Lindell as “one of America’s greatest and most hard working Patriots.”
The endorsement comes as Lindell leads a crowded GOP primary field ahead of Minnesota’s Aug. 11 primary election, where early voting is already underway.
A SurveyUSA/KSTP poll released earlier this month found Lindell with 27% support among Republican primary voters. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth followed at 22%, while businessman Kendall Qualls, who secured the state Republican Party’s endorsement, received 17%.
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Lindell has remained one of Trump’s most loyal supporters for years, including backing the president’s claims that the 2020 election was marred by widespread fraud. If elected governor, Lindell has pledged to eliminate electronic voting machines in Minnesota and replace them with paper ballots counted by hand.
“Those voting machines need to go. They need to be melted down … and turned into prison bars,” Lindell said.
Trump has publicly floated the idea of Lindell serving as governor before. In December, he said the MyPillow founder “deserves to be governor of Minnesota.”
The winner of the Republican primary will advance to the general election in November to face the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party nominee.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who received her party’s endorsement and has built a commanding fundraising advantage, is widely viewed as the Democratic frontrunner.
