MyPillow CEO and longtime Trump ally Mike Lindell announced Thursday that he will run for governor of Minnesota as a Republican, launching a bid centered on what he calls restoring integrity, safety, and economic freedom to a state he says has suffered under Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
Lindell made the announcement during an appearance on Steve Bannon’s War Room, telling viewers he’s ready to bring his fight from the corporate world into the political arena. He said both he and his company have endured relentless attacks but remain standing — and now he intends to stand for Minnesota families, businesses, and communities.
In a speech outlining his priorities, Lindell said, “I’m still standing; MyPillow is still standing; and now I want you to know that I will stand for you as the next governor of the state of Minnesota.” He pledged to confront what he described as “rampant fraud under Governor Walz,” signaling that election integrity and government accountability will be central to his platform.
Lindell also emphasized public safety, pointing to rising crime that he says threatens families across the state. He promised to fight back against policies that he believes have weakened law enforcement and contributed to growing insecurity.
Turning to economic concerns, Lindell criticized what he called government overreach, including burdensome taxes, fees, and regulations that hinder Minnesota’s businesses and burden families. He argued that excessive taxation and intrusive rules have suffocated entrepreneurship and driven economic opportunity out of the state. “I will stand for businesses of all sizes — small, medium, large, doesn’t matter,” he said. “We need to defend those who provide our citizens with jobs that they need to… in turn take care of our families.”
Lindell also spoke directly to Minnesotans struggling with addiction, pledging compassion and support informed by his own well-documented personal experiences. He promised to prioritize improving the state’s education system, saying he wants Minnesota schools to become among the best in the nation.
Throughout his announcement, Lindell framed his campaign as mission-driven, saying he has never walked alone. “My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been standing beside me all the way,” he said. “Through the good times and the bad, she’s never let me down; and with God’s grace, I will never let you down, either.”
His entry into the race sets up what could become one of the most high-profile gubernatorial contests in the country, as Republicans seek to challenge Walz’s leadership after years of controversy over crime, taxes, and government expansion. Lindell’s candidacy ensures that debates around election integrity, public safety, and economic freedom will take center stage in Minnesota’s political landscape heading into 2026.
[READ MORE: Jake Tapper Presses Jasmine Crockett on Claim That Latino Trump Voters Have “Slave Mentality”]
