'I can bankrupt the state!' Critics lampoon MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell's run for governor

Social media is having a ball with right-wing influencer and conspiracy leader considering a run for Minnesota governor.

The Minnesota Reformer reports Mike Lindell, a pillow salesman who has spent years spinning a debunked tale about the results of the 2020 election, is strongly considering a run against incumbent Gov. Tim Walz.

The Reformer reports Lindell has been “accused of domestic violence; admitted to filing a fake bankruptcy; has made and lost fortunes; claimed to have spent 14 days awake on cocaine before his drug dealers staged an intervention; and once made a $5 million challenge to anyone who could disprove his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from President Donald Trump, only to have a computer programmer meet the challenge, leading to years of litigation.”

“This is a brilliant way for the Minnesota GOP to hand Tim Walz a third term,” posted former chief White House ethics lawyer and law professor Richard Painter, on X.

“Has Tim Walz ever made a s---- pillow then ruined his life lying about conspiracies for Trump and lost millions? No!” said another X commenter, speaking for Lindell. “I have and that’s why I should be Governor of Minnesota.”

Another critic, mimicking Lindell, posted: “I’m running for governor of Minnesota — I can bankrupt the state like I bankrupted my pillow company.”

“He's about to be flat a-- broke,” said former American Hospital Association chair Craig Beam on X. “Just today he lost a major ruling in his Smartmatic defamation case and all that's left is determining malice and $ damages.”

Lindell claims more than $10 million in debts, but unpaid judgments don't bar someone from running for governor in Minnesota.

As of September, Lindell's outstanding unpaid legal judgments include $2.3 million to former Dominion employee Eric Coomer and more than $700,000 to DHL for unpaid shipping bills, ordered in January 2025. Defamation suits by Dominion and Smartmatic are ongoing, with a recent ruling finding Lindell liable in the Smartmatic case, but no damages awarded yet. FedEx's own $9 million lawsuit against Lindell for unpaid fees remains unresolved.

“The only way Mike Lindell could possibly win the Minnesota governorship is if pillows were people and had the right to vote. And I’m not even sure they’d vote for him,” said another X critic.

Read the Minnesota Reformer report at this link.