MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, a longtime backer of President Donald Trump who spread debunked conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential election, announced Thursday that he’ll run for governor of Minnesota next year.
“Those who know me know I’m up to the task,” Lindell said in a speech delivered on his eponymous platform Thursday morning.
Lindell has for weeks hinted that he could jump into the race soon, telling the Minnesota Star Tribune last week when he filed campaign paperwork that he would make a final decision by Thursday.
Lindell in recent years has faced legal scrutiny for his actions after the 2020 presidential election, when he promoted debunked allegations that the election was plagued with voter fraud and that Trump should have been declared the victor.
A federal jury in Colorado found in June that Lindell had defamed a former employee of Dominion Voting Systems, a voting equipment company. Dominion and Smartmatic, another voting system company, have accused Lindell of defamation in two separate lawsuits.
Lindell is joining a crowded field running for the Republican nomination for governor. Already, state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Minneapolis attorney Chris Madel, Republican state Rep. Kristin Robbins and Scott Jensen, the 2022 GOP nominee, have launched campaigns.
They’re all jockeying for the chance to face Gov. Tim Walz, last year’s Democratic vice presidential nominee, as he seeks a third term.
Walz and his allies began to attack Lindell days before he officially launched his campaign.
Hours after news of Lindell’s decision to file campaign paperwork broke last week, Walz’s campaign launched an email fundraising campaign featuring an exchange with former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Trump loyalist and election denier Mike Lindell just jumped into the race against me for Governor of Minnesota,” Walz wrote.
In his speech Thursday, Lindell attacked Walz multiple times for a fraud scandal that has engulfed the state this year. Federal prosecutors have alleged that dozens of people stole hundreds of millions of dollars from pandemic-era welfare programs in the state.
“I will stand for you against the rampant fraud under Gov. Walz. I will stand for you against crime and threats to the safety of your family,” Lindell said.
“Families have been taken advantage of, and others have not been taken care of,” he added later.
Lindell pointed to his experience “micro-managing” and “macro-managing” his company, MyPillow, as an argument in favor of his campaign.
“The governor is the chief executive of the state. He is responsible for the integrity of government operations under his authority,” he said.
Walz has defended his leadership of the state amid attacks from Trump and Republicans in Congress over the fraud scandal, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” late last month: “We’ll put folks in jail — I don’t care what your nationality is, I don’t care what your religion is, your color — if you’re committing crimes.”
