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Republican gubernatorial candidate and former “My Pillow” CEO Mike Lindell is refusing to concede his loss in the GOP primary for Minnesota governor, despite having lost by a wide margin to Speaker of the State House of Representatives Lisa Demuth (R).
As of 9 am Central Time, Demuth had received 43.4 percent of the vote, winning the race with plurality support. Lindell secured only 32.5 percent of the vote.
The 10.9 margin is more than enough for an election to be called without much controversy. But at multiple points after it appeared that he would lose, Lindell refused to concede the race.
“I’m not going to give up this race until the votes are counted. That’s nonsense,” Lindell said on his “LindellTV” network.
“Why would I listen to the AP?” he added, referring to The Associated Press.
Speaking to his backers at his election night watch party, Lindell promised them he’d know “in the next few days what’s going to happen.”
The GOP candidate then referenced his past, false assertions that election fraud had affected the 2020 presidential election, which President Donald Trump lost to former President Joe Biden.
“I’m very good at looking at elections,” Lindell claimed.
Trump, who had endorsed Lindell, issued a Truth Social post on Election Day that similarly referenced false claims of election fraud.
“Mike Lindell deserves a BIG WIN IN MINNESOTA today,” Trump wrote. “Nobody has worked harder, and given up so much, in fighting for free and fair Elections.”
Lindell’s refusal to concede could prompt Trump to comment further on the issue. Trump’s response could provide insight into his strategy for the midterms this fall — and whether he will attempt to prevent Republicans from potentially losing control of Congress by abusing his executive powers.
On Monday, for example, Trump revealed that he was open to using executive powers to enforce some aspects of the SAVE America Act, a piece of legislation that could disenfranchise tens of millions of people across the country.
“Let me just say that stranger things have happened,” Trump said in an interview regarding the idea. “I’ll leave it at that.”
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In February, Trump indicated that he would only accept the midterm results “if the elections are honest” — though Trump’s definition of honest is questionable, given that he has repeatedly lied to the American public.
Other primary election results across the Midwest had mixed outcomes when it came to the divide between progressive and establishment wings of the Democratic Party.
In Wisconsin’s Democratic primary for governor, democratic socialist and state representative Francesca Hong narrowly lost to Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, despite Hong leading Crowley for several weeks in numerous polls in the run-up to the race.
Crowley received 39.81 percent of the vote, besting Hong’s 39.33 percent — a difference of just under 4,000 votes out of over 791,000 cast. Despite the closeness of the race, Hong conceded the election to Crowley on Wednesday morning.
Hong received support from across the state, espousing progressive views that seemed to energize the base. But Crowley and establishment Democrats cited controversial social media posts Hong made years ago to attack her as “unelectable” (despite polls showing that she was competitive with the Republican gubernatorial candidate, Trump-endorsed Tom Tiffany).
Crowley’s candidacy was at times chaotic. After dropping out earlier this summer, Crowley reentered the race last month when other Democrats dropped out, too, and earned the endorsement of current Gov. Tony Evers (D).
Despite the more progressive Hong losing the narrow election, her candidacy signals that voters in the state may be ready for candidates with more left-leaning views.
Back in Minnesota, the progressive Democratic candidate for U.S. senator bested the more established option, with current Lieutenant Gov. Peggy Flanagan receiving 59 percent of the vote in that primary to U.S. Rep. Angie Craig’s 39.4 percent.
In her acceptance speech, Flanagan touted her candidacy as being one of the people.
“For months now, I have been telling you that this campaign was about the many versus the money,” she said. “Well, guess what, the many just won.”
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