As residency questions swirl, Mike Lindell shifts from MyPillow role to focus on governor bid
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Mike Lindell has emerged as the central figure in the race for Minnesota governor, having his residency questioned by his own Republican Party and as of Tuesday saying he’ll step away from his MyPillow leadership job to focus full time on his campaign.
Lindell told MPR News that he’ll transition away from the Chaska-based manufacturing company while remaining on the board of directors.
“I have to step away and use all that expertise,” Lindell said of his decision to give up his chief executive officer title and reduce his ownership to a minority stake. “I'm going 100 percent all in for Minnesota, and I didn't want anyone in Minnesota thinking that I'm dividing my time.”
It was just one of several developments of late about an outsider’s campaign that took off this summer.
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Lindell's residency was put under question by the Minnesota Republican Party, escalating a feud between a leading candidate and the party he hopes to represent on the November ballot.
In the interview Tuesday, Lindell strongly pushed back on the suggestion he isn’t eligible to run.
"I've been a resident here for a year and a half — six months early before I was required to — so he's putting out lies to get media out there,” Lindell said of the state GOP chair, Alex Plechash.
Lindell is a contender in next week’s primary after gaining President Donald Trump’s endorsement and having led in recent polls.
The state GOP raised doubt last week about whether Lindell has satisfied residency requirements for candidates.
In a letter, first reported by KSTP-TV, Plechash asks the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office for clarification on the requirements, mentioning Lindell specifically.
Plechash questions if Lindell has lived in Minnesota long enough. According to Minnesota’s constitution, a governor must be at least 25 years old and “shall have been a bona fide resident of the state for one year next preceding his election, and shall be a citizen of the United States.”
Lindell told KSTP he has lived and worked in Minnesota since August 2025, and sent paystubs to show that. Lindell had been living in Texas before coming back to Minnesota. Lindell has not returned a message from MPR News.
In December, Lindell told MPR that he had switched his residency last summer as he contemplated a run for governor.
“I was up Minnesota all my life. I just switched it last I switched I was in Texas for about a year because my wife lives there and now I switched it back last summer,” Lindell said. “You had to be switched over a year in advance of the of the general election.”
Plechash said in his letter he was hoping for guidance for voters ahead of the Aug. 11 primary, suggesting the DFL Party could make Lindell’s residency an issue if he wins that.
The Secretary of State’s office said it received the letter last Thursday and responded to it with an explanation of the candidate filing process.
“During that process, the filing officer verifies the residential address listed on the affidavit of candidacy is within the appropriate geographical area and matches a proof of residency document that the candidate provides,” the office said.
The office says it doesn’t have the authority to investigate residency issues. A spokesperson for the office said the issue would have to be settled by the Minnesota Supreme Court. No formal petition had been filed as of Tuesday.
Simon told MPR News on Tuesday that he is limited in what he can say because the matter might wind up in court.
“People should consult the statute about what happens in these situations, and of course, whatever the courts say, we will do as always,” Simon said.
This is not the first indication of the state party’s frustration with Lindell. Shortly after Lindell received Trump’s endorsement, Plechash put out a statement
“We strongly support the president and his agenda, but Minnesota Republicans must choose the candidate best positioned to defeat Amy Klobuchar,” he said.
“Minnesota cannot afford to nominate a ticket that gives Democrats an easy target and creates the very real possibility of another DFL trifecta,” Plechash added.
Lindell has led in the last two KSTP polls for the GOP primary race for governor, increasing his lead from June to July.
In recent weeks as Lindell has gained momentum, he’s had to contend with reports of late taxes, allegations he’s run afoul of campaign finance rules and details of past divorces spilling into view.
The party endorsed businessman Kendall Qualls in the race in May. Qualls and Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth are among those also vying for the party nomination.
The Minnesota GOP did not respond to a request for additional comment.
Lindell, Qualls and Demuth will debate Wednesday at Farmfest on a stage that is also due to include Democratic frontrunner Amy Klobuchar.
MPR News correspondent Dana Ferguson contributed from Morgan.
