Trump endorses MyPillow's Mike Lindell in race for Minnesota governor

President Trump on Wednesday gave his "complete and total endorsement" to MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell in Minnesota's gubernatorial race.

On social media, Mr. Trump called Lindell "one of America's greatest and most hard working Patriots."

Lindell told WCCO the endorsement is "huge" and "exciting," and that he didn't know it was coming.

"I think it's gonna give people hope now in Minnesota that we have change," Lindell said. "And we have to have change."

Despite the endorsement and Lindell's long history of public support for the president, he said he will not align with Mr. Trump on every issue.

"Just because the president endorsed me doesn't mean I'm gonna do everything that he would do. Absolutely not. I'm gonna do what Mike Lindell's gonna do," he said.

A Survey USA/KSTP poll from earlier this month showed Lindell leading the Republican field in the race, with 27% support among GOP primary voters. House Speaker Lisa Demuth was at 22% and businessman Kendall Qualls, who earned the state party's endorsement, was at 17%.

In a statement, Qualls said the race "won't be won by national endorsements ... it will be decided by Minnesota Republicans."

"Republican delegates did the hard work and got it right at the statewide convention in Duluth. I'm trusting them and their fellow Republicans that are closest to the issues of Minnesota," Qualls said. "They know that I'm the one candidate that can beat a 20-year sitting U.S. Senator, not Lisa Demuth or Mike Lindell."  

Early voting is already underway ahead of Minnesota's Aug. 11 primary.

Lindell's support of Trump has included repeatedly backing the president's false claims that the 2020 election was rigged. Lindell told WCCO he hopes to eliminate voting machines in Minnesota if elected in favor of hand counts and paper ballots.

"Those voting machines need to go. They need to be melted down ... and turned into prison bars," Lindell said.

In December, Mr. Trump said Lindell "deserves to be governor of Minnesota."

"Every Minnesota Republican candidate for Governor chased Donald Trump's endorsement and today, one of them has prevailed. This endorsement underscores that MAGA voters expect their candidates to be a rubber stamp for Donald Trump, regardless of how much it hurts Minnesotans," Minnesota DFL Party Chair Richard Carlbom said. "Mike Lindell is Minnesota's election-denying Trump clone. We look forward to holding them both accountable in November."

The winner of the Republican primary will face the DFL nominee in November. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who received her party's endorsement and holds a huge lead in fundraising, is the presumptive favorite for the Democrats.

Klobuchar responded to Mr. Trump's endorsement on social media.

"Mike Lindell is Donald Trump's choice. I hope to be Minnesota's," she said.

Outgoing Gov. Tim Walz, who dropped his bid for a third term earlier this year, said the endorsement "does not surprise" him.

"Republicans will respond on Aug. 11, I guess, and then everyone else will get a chance in November," Walz said.

Democratic analyst Abou Amara told WCCO Democrats are "salivating" at the idea of running against Lindell in the general election.

"I think Democrats are very excited about the prospect of running against Mike Lindell," Amara said. "In many ways, he's the Minnesota version of Donald Trump, right? He's outlandish, he's a business guy who got into politics. Whereas Amy Klobuchar is a workhorse, she's been winning for 20 years. She's undefeated statewide when running for statewide office."