Right-Wing Conspiracy Theorist Mike Lindell Pushes for Wasteful Hand Recount in Minnesota GOP Primary
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The former MyPillow CEO, notorious for spreading baseless election conspiracies, announced he will bankroll a costly and unnecessary hand recount and audit of the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary, citing unsubstantiated claims of irregularities.
Mike Lindell, a prominent figure in the right-wing movement and former MyPillow CEO, declared Wednesday that he will personally fund a statewide hand recount and audit of all paper ballots cast in Minnesota’s Republican primary for governor. Lindell, who lost to Lisa Demuth by approximately 45,000 votes, claims this effort will not burden state taxpayers. However, his initiative is rooted in his ongoing campaign to undermine trust in democratic institutions, as he cited so-called 'irregularities' in election-night reporting data—allegations that echo the baseless rhetoric of election denialism.
Lindell insists he is exercising a legal right to audit and hand-count every ballot, a move that many see as an attempt to sow further doubt in the electoral process. He openly admits that, even if the recount does not alter the result, it could be used as a 'gateway to get rid of election voting machines,' a goal aligned with the broader right-wing crusade against modern voting technology.
Among the dubious issues Lindell raised were vote totals that allegedly moved backward during reporting, synchronized totals across all seven Republican candidates, and counties supposedly reporting more votes than were cast—claims that have not been substantiated. The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office has been contacted for comment, but such tactics by Lindell and his allies continue to threaten the integrity of American democracy.