Mike Lindell withholds payment for recount request in Minnesota GOP governor primary
Mike Lindell is withholding the payment required for a recount and audit of ballots cast in the Republican primary for Minnesota governor, claiming that the Secretary of State's office has proposed an unlawful recount process, according to a statement released by his campaign Monday.
August 24, 2026 / 8:25 PM EDT / CBS Minnesota
The MyPillow founder, who, according to the current results, finished second to Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth in the race, said on Wednesday that he would personally pay for the recount. Secretary of State General Counsel Lauren Bethke set Monday as the deadline for Lindell to submit the request.
Lindell's campaign said the $825,000 payment was "primed and ready to cover the costs" but had not been submitted because of a dispute over the planned scope of the recount. The campaign said state officials intend to recount only the votes cast for Lindell and Demuth and not all the votes cast in the Republican gubernatorial primary, while excluding votes for other candidates in the race.
"The actions taken by the Secretary of State put Mike Lindell in an untenable position," Lindell's campaign said.
The campaign argues that the scope of the recount violates Minnesota law, citing a provision that defines a recount as determining "the number of votes validly cast for the office or question to be recounted."