Former MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell has lost Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary, handing President Donald Trump one of his biggest endorsement defeats of the 2026 election cycle. Lindell was defeated by Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, despite receiving Trump's endorsement.
Lindell is one of Trump's closest political allies and a prominent supporter of his false claims about the 2020 presidential election. Due to Lindell's widespread recognition and backing from MAGA voters, predictions were made that saw him as an early front-runner.
Now, KTSP's Kirsten Swanson has reported that Lindell is refusing to concede, claiming there are ‘anomalies in the numbers’.
Meanwhile, the defeat has renewed interest in the Former CEO's finances, personal life, and family after years of legal battles and business setbacks.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, the defeat has renewed interest in the Former CEO's finances, personal life, and family after years of legal battles and business setbacks.
{{/usCountry}}Mike Lindell's net worth and businesses
Mike Lindell founded MyPillow after establishing several small businesses in Minnesota, such as bars, restaurants, and a carpet cleaning business. The Minnesota entrepreneur transformed the company into one of America's best-known bedding brands through extensive television advertising.
At its peak, MyPillow generated hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. Celebrity Net Worth estimated that Lindell's personal fortune once exceeded $100 million and may have reached between $200 million and $300 million. However, the website now estimates his net worth at approximately $0. They cited legal expenses, declining sales, and the financial fallout from his 2020 election activism.
Lindell himself has repeatedly acknowledged severe financial difficulties.
During a 2023 interview with CBS Minnesota, he said his support for Trump and his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results caused MyPillow to lose more than $100 million in retail business. "When I tried to get this out to the people, MyPillow lost $100 million in retailers," Lindell said. “I've had to borrow money.”
According to CBS, several major retailers like Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and Kohl's stopped carrying MyPillow products following Lindell's repeated false claims about the 2020 election. He reportedly also spent millions defending himself in multiple defamation lawsuits.
Lindell, however, has continued operating MyPillow and promoting his social media platform, FrankSocial.
Family and political career
Lindell was born in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1961 and grew up in Carver and Chaska. He owned several small businesses and struggled with cocaine, crack cocaine and gambling addiction before his success with MyPillow.
He has publicly credited his Christian faith with helping him overcome addiction in 2009. He later also established the Lindell Foundation and Lindell Recovery Network to support people recovering from substance abuse.
In 1987, Lindell married Karen Dickey. The couple had four children, Lizzy, Heather, Darren, and Charlie. His son Darren became MyPillow's chief executive officer in 2020. The couple divorced after more than two decades of marriage.
He later married Dallas Yocum in 2013, but the marriage ended within weeks.
Lindell's political career started after he met Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign. He later became a frequent visitor to the White House and played a prominent role in Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. Trump strongly backed Lindell's gubernatorial campaign earlier this year. The president called him someone who "deserves to be governor of Minnesota" and praised him for standing by his election claims despite mounting legal and financial problems.
However, Lindell's loss now marks the third defeat for a Trump-endorsed candidate in recent weeks, according to Politico.