Mike Lindell lost the Republican primary for Minnesota governor Tuesday, weeks after his immigration proposal drew backlash from Republican political figures.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-District 13A) defeated Lindell with 43.5% of the vote, with 99% counted. Lindell received 32.5%, while businessman Kendall Qualls finished third with 21.4%, according to Associated Press results. Qualls held the Minnesota Republican Party’s formal endorsement.
President Donald Trump endorsed Lindell on July 15 and again urged Minnesota Republicans to support him on the day of the primary. A SurveyUSA poll conducted July 21 placed Lindell first with 35%, ahead of Demuth at 26%. The poll carried a margin of error of 5.4 percentage points.
Immigration plan drew backlash
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Lindell’s Conditional Visa Reset Program called for allowing illegal aliens six months to register with the government, submit fingerprints and undergo criminal background checks.
Applicants accepted into the program would receive conditional work visas without expiration dates, allowing them to remain in the United States indefinitely. They would not receive citizenship or voting rights. A Minnesota governor could not independently create a federal work visa or halt federal removals.
Minnesota-based Republican strategist Dustin Grage and Texas Scorecard publisher Michael Quinn Sullivan criticized the plan as amnesty. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon also questioned whether a governor could change federal immigration policy.
Following the backlash, Lindell removed the proposal from his campaign website and deleted an X post defending it.
Lindell questions results
After the Associated Press projected Demuth as the winner, Lindell declined to concede Tuesday night. He said his campaign would review the results after team members reported possible anomalies. Lindell did not identify a specific problem with the vote at the time.
Demuth will face U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), who won the Democratic-Farmer-Labor primary for governor, in the November 3 general election.
Provided by Dallas Express
