The claim is true because reliable reporting confirms that Mike Lindell lost Minnesota’s Republican gubernatorial primary to Lisa Demuth by roughly 11 percentage points and said he would personally fund a statewide hand recount and audit.
True
Mike Lindell lost the Minnesota Republican gubernatorial primary by 11 percentage points and called for a recount funded by himself.
Trump-Backed Mike Lindell Loses Minnesota Governor Primary to Lisa Demuth - The New York Times
Source: nytimes.com
At a glance
Verified August 19, 2026Key Evidence
The New York Times reported that Lisa Demuth beat Lindell by approximately 11 percentage points.
CBS Minnesota and the Star Tribune reported that Lindell said he would personally fund a hand recount and audit, with the Star Tribune describing the margin as more than 45,000 votes.
WDIO and InForum reported the announcement on August 19, 2026.
The reporting
What the Evidence Shows
The available evidence supports both parts of the statement.
- The New York Times reported that Lisa Demuth defeated Lindell by about 11 percentage points in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
- CBS Minnesota, the Star Tribune, WDIO, and InForum subsequently reported that Lindell said he would personally pay for a statewide hand recount and audit covering the ballots cast in the primary.
- Earlier reports from The Guardian, The Hill, The Independent, USA Today, and POLITICO established that Lindell refused to concede and questioned the results. Those reports preceded the later announcement that he would fund the recount.
The wording describes Lindell’s announced plan, not a completed recount or a finding that the election results were wrong. The sources indicate that the recount was proposed or announced as of August 19, 2026, and do not establish its eventual outcome.
Primary trail
Verified Sources10
Open source