In any competition, there is always an underdog who thinks, “This is our year.” Politics are no different, with Democrats perennially dreaming of a statewide win in Texas. For Republicans, that dream is winning in Minnesota, where years of fraud have left Democrats vulnerable and ended former VP candidate Tim Walz’s hopes of a third term as governor. But if Republicans want to make their dream of flipping Minnesota a reality, they need to do better than Mike Lindell.
As a kid growing up in Minnesota, I frequently saw Lindell’s face on Fox News, hawking his MyPillow in between Sean Hannity segments. Born and raised in Minnesota, Lindell built his business empire after overcoming addictions to drugs and gambling. A long-time Trump supporter, Lindell is hoping the president’s endorsement will propel him to the governor’s mansion.
Even with Trump’s endorsement, Mike Lindell faces a tough road to victory. After the fraud scandals, incumbent Tim Walz was in a vulnerable position. However, his decision to step aside opened the door for long-time U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar to take up the mantle for the Democrats. To have a chance of victory, Minnesota Republicans must choose the candidate with the best shot at victory.
There are many reasons why Lindell is not that person.
For starters, he has no experience in government. While he is trying to emulate President Trump’s transition from business to politics, Trump is the exception rather than the rule. A Republican has not served as governor of Minnesota since Tim Pawlenty left office in 2011. The Democrats will revel in attacking Lindell’s weaknesses as a candidate.
To be clear, I am not attacking Mike Lindell for struggling with drugs earlier in his life. I am merely pointing out the likelihood of addiction-related attacks during the campaign. George W. Bush was an alcoholic early in life, and despite years of sobriety, he was attacked for it during the 2000 presidential election. While Bush still won the White House, the campaign went on the defensive just days before the election. Expect similar attacks to come Lindell’s way.
More problematic for Lindell are his legal troubles. His drug problem may be in the past, but there is the issue of Lindell’s back taxes, with reports that he owes almost $50,000 on his Minnesota home. The state government is still wading through massive fraud scandals, so how can the GOP demonstrate its seriousness in dealing with fraud if its nominee can’t keep his own finances under control?
Aside from that, there is doubt over whether Lindell is even eligible to serve as governor of Minnesota. Voter records show that Lindell can’t even vote for himself, as he is currently registered to vote in Texas. Winning against Klobuchar is going to be tough, but it will be even tougher if the GOP runs a candidate who can’t vote in the very election in which he is a candidate.
If you still aren’t convinced that Lindell is a bad candidate, watch how Democrats are reacting. Democrats are reportedly “salivating” over Trump’s endorsement of the MyPillow creator. Any time your opponent is happy over a move you’re making, chances are it’s the wrong move.
Given all the skeletons in Lindell’s closet, why did Trump endorse him? There are a couple of reasons, neither of which makes the president look good.
First, Lindell has name recognition. Trump likes people he’s seen on TV, having employed several TV stars across his multiple administrations. Second, and more importantly, Lindell is a long-time Trump supporter. This isn’t the first time Trump has spurned the likelihood of victory in favor of loyalty, as the cases of Ken Paxton, Herschel Walker, and Mehmet Oz all demonstrate. In two of the cases, Trump endorsed a flawed candidate in tight races that Republicans narrowly lost. And in the third, most polls show Paxton to be in serious trouble against Talarico. Candidate quality matters.
So how should Minnesota Republicans respond to Trump’s endorsement? If they want to win, they should shake it off and ignore it. Indeed, rather than celebrate the endorsement, the chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party made a statement disagreeing with it, affirming the party’s stance that Lindell is not the right candidate. Hopefully the August primary will back up that sentiment and select a nominee with a better shot at winning.
If not Lindell, who else is the Minnesota Republican Party considering as its nominee? Two possibilities: Businessman and aspiring politician Kendall Qualls, who previously ran for governor, has been near the top of the polls this cycle. A loyal supporter of Trump, Qualls shrugged off Trump’s endorsement of Lindell. The other notable challenger is Lisa Demuth, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives.
With years of experience in Minnesota politics, Demuth may be best positioned to defeat Klobuchar in November. In addition, her lack of national profile allows her to distance herself from the political toxin that Trump poses in Minnesota. Regardless, either Qualls or Demuth would have a better chance of victory than Lindell.
Minnesota has long been an elusive prize for Republicans, much as Texas has been for Democrats. Dreams of ending one party’s dominance have yet to be realized in either state. This year could be different, however, as fraud and other issues provide an opportunity for the Republican Party to win the governor’s race in Minnesota. To capitalize on this opportunity, Republicans must nominate the candidate with the best shot at winning. That candidate is not Mike Lindell.
Perhaps GOP voters should sleep on it before making their decision.
