Lisa Demuth Defeats Trump-Backed Mike Lindell In Minnesota GOP Governor Primary
Lisa Demuth defeated Trump-backed Mike Lindell in the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and was projected to face Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the Nov. 3 general election.[1]
Demuth, 59, is a small-business owner who has represented a largely rural central Minnesota district since 2019 and became speaker of the evenly split state House in 2025.[2] She ran while serving as House speaker and centered her campaign on cutting taxes and eliminating fraud in social services programs linked to outgoing Gov. Tim Walz.[2] Her running mate is Ryan Wilson, an attorney who previously ran for state auditor in 2022.[1] Mike Lindell had President Donald Trump's endorsement and national name recognition but trailed Demuth in the returns.[3]
Kendall Qualls won the state GOP convention endorsement after 10 ballots.[2] Demuth stayed in the race and cited irregularities in the convention voting; Qualls conceded as her primary lead grew.[1] Outgoing Gov. Tim Walz abandoned his 2026 reelection bid in January to focus on alleged fraud in state programs that prosecutors say could top $9 billion, an issue Demuth repeatedly raised.[3]
Republicans have not won the Minnesota governorship since Tim Pawlenty's 2006 reelection, a streak of 28 consecutive statewide losses for the party.[3] State GOP leaders had openly despaired after Trump endorsed Lindell.[2] Some party figures call Demuth's victory a significant show of strength for the state GOP as the party turns to a challenging general election in November.[4]
Show source details & analysis (5 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth was projected to win the Republican gubernatorial primary and will face Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the November 3 general election (Lisa Demuth).
- Kendall Qualls won the state GOP convention endorsement after 10 ballots, but Lisa Demuth stayed in the race citing irregularities in the convention voting and Qualls conceded as her primary lead grew (Kendall Qualls).
- Demuth, 59, is a small-business owner who has represented a largely rural central Minnesota district since 2019 and became speaker of the evenly split Minnesota House in 2025 (Lisa Demuth).
- Demuth’s running mate is Ryan Wilson, an attorney who previously ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 2022 (Ryan Wilson).
- Demuth centered her campaign on cutting taxes and eliminating fraud in social services programs she links to outgoing Gov. Tim Walz, who abandoned his 2026 reelection bid in January 2026 to focus on alleged fraud prosecutors say could total over $9 billion (Tim Walz).
- Demuth defeated MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell — a nationally known MAGA candidate who had President Donald Trump's endorsement — even though she trailed him in recent polls (Mike Lindell).
- Republicans have not won the Minnesota governorship since Tim Pawlenty's 2006 reelection and have lost 28 consecutive statewide races, an 18‑year drought described as the longest for either major party in state history (28 consecutive statewide races).
📰 Source Timeline (5)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
August 12, 2026
3:35 AM
Minnesota House speaker ousts MyPillow CEO to win GOP governor nod
New information:
- Fox News reiterates that House Speaker Lisa Demuth won Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, and will face the Democratic nominee in November to replace outgoing Gov. Tim Walz.
- The article emphasizes that Demuth stayed in the race after losing the state GOP endorsement to Kendall Qualls, who secured the convention endorsement after 10 ballots.
- Fox underscores that Demuth's win over MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who had President Donald Trump's endorsement and national name recognition, is being framed as a 'significant show of strength' for Demuth.
- The piece adds long-run context that Republicans have lost 28 consecutive statewide races in Minnesota since Gov. Tim Pawlenty's 2006 reelection, described as an 18-year drought and the longest for either major party in state history.
- The article recaps that Gov. Tim Walz abandoned his 2026 reelection bid in January 2026, saying he wanted to devote his final year in office to combating alleged fraud in state programs amid mounting scrutiny.
- Fox notes Walz signed major Democratic priorities in office, including expanded abortion protections, free school meals, legalized recreational marijuana and paid family and medical leave, while facing criticism over alleged fraud in government-funded programs that prosecutors say could total over $9 billion.
- The article states that Walz's January withdrawal shifted attention to Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who ultimately entered the governor's race, turning it from a referendum on Walz into a contest against one of Minnesota's most established statewide Democrats.
3:35 AM
Minnesota House speaker Lisa Demuth wins GOP gubernatorial primary to replace Tim Walz in November
New information:
- Fox News confirms that Kendall Qualls won the Minnesota GOP convention endorsement for governor after 10 ballots but lost the August 11, 2026 primary to Lisa Demuth.
- The article reiterates that Mike Lindell had former President Donald Trump's endorsement in the primary and notes his national name recognition.
- Fox News emphasizes that Minnesota Republicans have lost 28 consecutive statewide contests since 2006, describing this 18-year drought as the longest for either major party in state history.
- The piece restates that Gov. Tim Walz ended his reelection bid in January 2026 to focus on combating alleged fraud in state programs, which prosecutors say could total over $9 billion.
- Fox News frames Demuth’s primary victory on August 11, 2026, as "a significant show of strength" because she stayed in the race despite lacking the party’s convention endorsement.
3:32 AM
Lisa Demuth Wins Republican Primary for Governor of Minnesota
New information:
- The New York Times confirms Lisa Demuth, 59, is a small-business owner representing a largely rural central Minnesota district since 2019.
- Demuth became speaker of the evenly split Minnesota House in 2025 and remained in the gubernatorial race after narrowly losing the state GOP endorsement.
- Kendall Qualls, the party’s endorsed candidate and an Army veteran and businessman, was trailing badly in polls ahead of the primary.
- The article details Demuth’s primary platform emphasis on cutting taxes and eliminating fraud in social services programs, and notes Democratic criticism of her record on gun control and immigration-related bills.
- The piece reports that state GOP leaders had openly despaired after President Trump endorsed Mike Lindell, reflecting deep fissures within the Minnesota Republican Party.
3:30 AM
Lisa Demuth projected winner of Republican primary in Minnesota governor's race
New information:
- CBS News projects on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth will win the Republican gubernatorial primary and face Sen. Amy Klobuchar in the November 3 general election.
- The article notes Kendall Qualls had received the Minnesota Republican Party's endorsement earlier in the year, but Demuth stayed in the race citing irregularities in the convention voting process.
- Qualls conceded to Demuth as her primary lead grew, publicly congratulating her for earning the support of Republican primary voters.
- The piece reports that Demuth ran her campaign while serving as the top Republican in the Minnesota Legislature during a divided session and that she centered her bid on fraud issues she links to outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Walz.
- CBS adds that Demuth's running mate is Ryan Wilson, an attorney who previously ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 2022.
- The report says Demuth won the primary despite trailing MAGA candidate Mike Lindell in recent polls and notes Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty in 2006.