Mike Lindell announces run for Minnesota governor
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Lindell has his own online streaming site, called Lindell TV. Photo: Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images
MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell announced Thursday that he's running for Minnesota governor.
The big picture: Lindell, a President Trump loyalist who has pushed false claims about 2020 election fraud, joins a crowded field of Republicans seeking the party's nomination to take on DFL Gov. Tim Walz next year.
- Close to a dozen candidates, including House Speaker Lisa Demuth and 2022 nominee Scott Jensen, have already jumped in the race.
What he's saying: Lindell, who recently reestablished residency in Minnesota after living in Texas, told the Star Tribune that he plans to center his bid around fraud, property taxes and "excessive fees and unfair regulations."
- He said he stands by claims that the 2020 was "stolen," but that his "whole campaign is not going to be about the [voting] machines."
Friction point: Lindell, who started the Chanhassen-based pillow company in the 2000s, has weathered legal and financial challenges in recent years.
- He lost a $2.3 million defamation lawsuit this summer over comments he made about a former employee of Denver-based Dominion Voting Systems tied to the alleged 2020 election rigging. A separate suit brought by Smartmatic is ongoing.
- MyPillow has also faced lawsuits from DHL and FedEx alleging that the company failed to pay shipping bills.
Between the lines: Lindell, who has accused retailers of "canceling" him over his support of Trump and election claims, has made the legal battles part of his pitch to sell pillows to his fans.
- He appeared on Steve Bannon's "War Room" show Wednesday to both tease his run and offer a pillow discount to supporters.
What we're watching: Whether high name recognition and support from conservative figures translates to traction with GOP delegates and voters.
- Lindell already has an endorsement from Royce White, the party's controversial 2024 U.S. Senate nominee.
- On Thursday, Bannon called Lindell a "patriot" and a "fantastic leader" on a broadcast that streamed on the pillow salesman's online platform, LindellTV.
- "One thing about Mike Lindell, there will be action," Bannon said. "It will be quite an unconventional run."
The intrigue: Lindell told reporters that he's spoken to the president about the bid, but said his campaign isn't contingent on securing Trump's endorsement.
The other side: The DFL-aligned Alliance for a Better Minnesota slammed Lindell as an "anti-choice extremist" who spreads "baseless conspiracy theories" about the election.
What's next: A Saturday straw poll should give a better sense of where Republican delegates stand, about six months out from the party's endorsing convention.
Axios' Julianna Bragg contributed to this report.