FILE PHOTO: MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell gestures as he attends a campaign event of former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump in Mason City, Iowa, U.S. January 5, 2024. REUTERS/Rachel Mummey/File Photo
Mike Lindell, a close ally of President Donald Trump and a 2020 election denialist, lost Minnesota's Republican gubernatorial primary.
Lindell, founder of the Minnesota-based pillow manufacturer MyPillow, obtained 32 percent of the vote in the gubernatorial primary race against state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, Politico reported.
With 95% of votes counted, Demuth led the election with 43 percent of the vote.
Lindell refused to concede, telling reporters, "I'm not going to give up this race until the votes are counted."
Politico characterized the loss as "one of his biggest endorsement losses of the cycle."
The defeat marks the third consecutive Trump endorsement failure in two weeks, following GOP Rep. Andy Ogles' loss and a Michigan House race defeat.
Trump's endorsement power has particularly faltered in gubernatorial races. GOP Rep. Randy Feenstra lost in Iowa, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones in Georgia, and Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette in South Carolina.
Political commentator Mike Nellis called the losses evidence Trump is becoming a "lame duck."
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