Patriot Brief
What Happened: MyPillow founder Mike Lindell announced his run for Minnesota governor after Gov. Tim Walz confirmed he will not seek another term.
Why It Matters: Walz’s exit creates an open race in a state Democrats have long controlled, giving Republicans a rare opportunity to compete.
Bottom Line: Lindell is positioning himself as an outsider ready to challenge Minnesota’s political establishment in a wide open contest.
Minnesota’s governor race is officially wide open, and Mike Lindell just made sure no one misses it.
The MyPillow founder announced Thursday that he is running for governor of Minnesota in 2026, entering the race after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz confirmed he will not seek another term. With Walz stepping aside, Lindell is charging into an open seat and daring voters to choose a very different direction.
“After prayerful consideration and hearing from so many of you across our great state, I’ve made the decision to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race,” Lindell posted. “I’m still standing and I’ll stand for you.”
Lindell made the announcement from his MyPillow factory in Shakopee, Minnesota, with the speech streamed on LindellTV. His platform zeroes in on familiar pressure points for voters. Stopping fraud. Deporting illegal immigrants. Fixing failing public schools. Rolling back exploding property taxes. Securing elections.
“Minnesota deserves a governor who will stand against all fraud, and will go after anyone who steals our tax dollars. No one is above the law,” his campaign website states.
That message lands amid continued fallout from a New York Times report detailing an alleged $1 billion fraud scandal tied to Minnesota’s social services system. Lindell is clearly running against what he calls a culture of corruption and complacency at the Capitol.
A close ally of President Donald Trump, Lindell has weathered years of legal and media pressure over his outspoken views on election integrity, including lawsuits from Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic.
Democrats have already begun attacking Lindell as extreme, but he appears unfazed. With Walz out and voters frustrated, Lindell is betting Minnesota is ready for a political shakeup.
