Who Is Mike Lindell?
Mike Lindell is an American entrepreneur best known as the founder and CEO of MyPillow, a bedding and pillow company he built into a nationally recognized brand through heavy television advertising and infomercials.[1] Beyond business, he has become a prominent conservative activist and media personality, closely associated with former President Donald Trump and right-wing media outlets.[1]
Lindell’s personal story—marked by addiction, recovery, and the creation of a major consumer brand—has long been central to his public image.[1] In recent years, however, his identity has shifted from businessman to political firebrand, as he poured time and money into promoting false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen, organizing events such as his “Cyber Symposium” to push those allegations.[1]
Lindell’s 2026 Minnesota Governor Campaign
Lindell has now officially entered the 2026 Minnesota governor’s race, registering a campaign committee and announcing that he will seek the Republican nomination for governor.[1][3] He frames his bid as an outsider challenge to Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who is running for a third term in a state where no governor has previously secured three four-year terms.[1][2]
In early interviews, Lindell has emphasized his business background and his experience navigating what he calls unprecedented legal and media attacks on himself and MyPillow.[1] He argues that these experiences prepare him to tackle issues such as government fraud, homelessness, addiction, and economic recovery, promising to visit communities across Minnesota and run a campaign fueled by small-dollar donations from supporters around the country.[1]
Controversies and Political Impact
Lindell’s political brand remains tightly bound to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his ongoing campaign against electronic voting machines.[1] His insistence that electronic tabulators should be replaced with hand counts—even in states like Minnesota that already use paper ballots—places him at odds with many election officials, who say machine tabulation is more accurate and efficient.[1] These positions have fueled national visibility but also alienated moderates and many corporate partners.
His claims have produced serious legal and financial consequences. Voting-technology company Smartmatic and a former Dominion Voting Systems executive have won key rulings or jury verdicts in defamation cases against him, including multimillion-dollar damages, while an appeals court recently overturned a separate $5 million arbitration award tied to his election-fraud data challenge.[1] As Lindell joins a crowded Republican primary field that includes experienced politicians, his high-profile controversies, alignment with Trump, and outsider persona are likely to shape both the tone of the GOP race and the broader dynamics of Minnesota’s 2026 governor’s contest.[1][2]