Mike Lindell touts Trump ties in race for governor of Minnesota, where Trump has lost

Mike Lindell, candidate for Minnesota governor in Tuesday's primary, is seen here on stage with other candidates for the post including, from left, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican Lisa Demuth, speaker of the state House. Dana Ferguson/MPR News hide caption

MORGAN, Minn. – Among other politicians in T-shirts and jeans, candidate for governor Mike Lindell stood out in his dark suit and red tie.

The MyPillow founder was onstage at Minnesota Farmfest, a trade show that's a must-hit event for candidates in election seasons. The 65-year-old Minnesota native told the crowd in the barn-style building that he had an edge that his fellow candidates for governor lacked.

"I have an advantage over everyone up here. I can call up and work with the president of the United States," Lindell said, generating some applause from the audience.

Lindell is running for the Republican nomination in Tuesday's primary, vying to replace Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, who decided not to run for a third term. Also last week, Lindell announced he was stepping down as CEO of MyPillow to focus on the campaign.

President Trump has never won the state of Minnesota in his three bids for the White House. More recently, his administration has targeted the state for Medicaid cuts and led the immigration enforcement surge that left two observers dead. Despite that, Lindell is running on a Trump-forward platform – and some polls indicate he could be leading in the primary.

Lindell is a long-time Trump ally, who joined the president in vocally denying the results of the 2020 election. He was sued for defamation by voting machine companies – including one case that was settled.

Trump endorsed Lindell. But Lindell's run has faced friction with the party establishment, which endorsed someone else at its May convention.