Minnesota state House Speaker Lisa Demuth has won the Republican primary for governor, defeating Trump ally Mike Lindell. This sets up a general election contest against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Demuth’s win over Lindell, the MyPillow founder known for election conspiracy theories, was unexpected. Despite leading in some public polls and receiving an endorsement from former President Donald Trump, Lindell faced challenges. Fellow Republicans, including the Minnesota GOP chairman, questioned Lindell’s residency and sought a candidate capable of defeating Klobuchar.
Since 2020, Lindell has faced legal issues related to promoting Trump’s disproven 2020 election theories. At a recent Minnesota Farmfest forum, Klobuchar criticized the GOP candidates as being too aligned with Trump.
Demuth, along with other Republicans, has attacked Democrats over fraud scandals involving Medicaid and pandemic aid. Allegations have surfaced that substantial funds intended for welfare programs were stolen. Demuth blames “incompetent Democrat control” and highlights the Fraud Prevention Agency Oversight Committee she established in the state House.
Earlier this year, Democratic Governor Tim Walz dropped his bid for a third term due to criticisms over these fraud cases, paving the way for Klobuchar’s campaign. Klobuchar is one of four senators running for governor this year.
Looking ahead to November, Republicans face challenges due to Minnesota’s political trends. The state favored Kamala Harris as vice president by about four percentage points in the last presidential election, where Walz was Harris’s running mate.
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