Lisa Demuth (R) was projected to win the Republican primary for governor of Minnesota, according to Decision Desk HQ, dealing a blow to former President Donald Trump. Trump had endorsed Republican businessman Mike Lindell, known as the “My Pillow Guy,” who was legally found to have defamed the election technology company Smartmatic with false claims about the 2020 election.

Despite a last-minute push from Trump, who said Lindell “deserves a BIG WIN,” Demuth emerged victorious from a crowded field competing to replace outgoing Governor Tim Walz. Walz, a Democrat and the party’s 2024 vice-presidential nominee, ended his bid for a third term earlier this year amid scrutiny over a widespread election fraud controversy in the state. Walz stated in January, “I’ve decided to step out of the race and let others worry about the election while I focus on the work,” though he expressed confidence in his chances had he remained.

On the Democratic side, Amy Klobuchar, a popular four-term senator, was expected to easily win her gubernatorial primary in the predominantly blue state.

Republicans had hoped the controversy surrounding Walz would open a path for them in Minnesota, a state Trump lost by single digits in all three of his presidential runs. However, the Cook Political Report still rates the governor’s seat as solidly Democratic after recently shifting its outlook from "likely" blue.

Lindell’s defeat represents the latest setback for Trump’s influence in election-related races.

Sources