Mike Lindell is no longer merely the most famous Republican running for governor of Minnesota. The MyPillow founder is beginning to pull away from the pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A new KSTP\/SurveyUSA poll found Lindell leading the Republican primary with 35 percent support\u2014an eight-point jump since June and a nine-point advantage over his closest rival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth climbed four points to 26 percent, while Kendall Qualls, who secured the state Republican Party\u2019s endorsement in May, fell six points to 11 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The survey of 478 Republican voters was conducted from July 15 through July 20 and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 5.4 percentage points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lindell\u2019s gains stretched across several important voting blocs. According to KSTP-TV<\/a>, his support among Republican women climbed nine points, while his backing among voters 65 and older surged by 17 points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The latest results mark a clear acceleration for Lindell. A June KSTP\/SurveyUSA survey placed him at 27 percent, followed by Demuth at 22 percent and Qualls at 17 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time, Carleton College political analyst Steven Schier said Lindell\u2019s national profile would make him competitive but warned that he would need additional money to preserve his advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead, Lindell has widened his lead just weeks before the Aug. 11 primary\u2014and he is doing it despite the state party establishment lining up behind someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qualls secured the Minnesota Republican Party endorsement after a chaotic 10-ballot convention marked by lengthy delays and problems with its electronic voting system. But that endorsement has not translated into momentum among the broader Republican electorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lindell received another, far more powerful endorsement on the first day of the new poll\u2019s surveying period: President Donald Trump\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trump threw his \u201ccomplete and total endorsement\u201d behind his longtime ally in a July 15 Truth Social post, calling Lindell \u201cone of America\u2019s greatest and most hard working Patriots.\u201d (RELATED: Trump Endorses Mike Lindell In Minnesota Governor\u2019s Race<\/a>)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMike will be SPECTACULAR!!!\u201d Trump wrote, adding that Lindell would \u201cMAKE MINNESOTA GREAT AGAIN.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Lindell welcomed the endorsement and made it clear that his campaign was not a publicity exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wanted everyone in Minnesota to know I\u2019m serious,\u201d Lindell told KSTP-TV<\/a>. \u201cI\u2019m running this campaign. I\u2019m 100% all in.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The primary winner is expected to face Democrat Sen. Amy Klobuchar in November for the seat being vacated by Gov. Tim Walz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Walz abandoned his bid for a third term in January as Minnesota faced mounting scrutiny over fraud involving government-funded social-service programs. In his withdrawal statement, Walz acknowledged that the state had a serious problem and declared that \u201cthe buck stops with me,\u201d while insisting his administration was taking action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fraud and government accountability have since become central issues in the race. Lindell has proposed halting payments to providers flagged as high-risk, expanding audits and data analysis, strengthening protections for whistleblowers and cooperating with federal investigators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Republican voters now appear increasingly willing to entrust that fight to the outspoken businessman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Early voting for Minnesota\u2019s primary began June 26, according to the Minnesota Secretary of State\u2019s Office<\/a>. With less than three weeks remaining before Election Day, Lindell has transformed his celebrity and close relationship with Trump into a commanding\u2014though not yet insurmountable\u2014lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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