Overview
- President Trump endorsed Mike Lindell on Wednesday, and days later Minnesota election officials told the Star Tribune that Lindell has no active voter record in Minnesota while still showing an active registration in Texas.
- Minnesota law allows Lindell to run because he meets the one-year residency and voter-eligibility requirements, but as currently recorded he cannot cast a ballot for himself in the Aug. 11 primary unless he registers before then or uses same-day Election Day registration.
- Lindell returned to Minnesota last fall after living in Texas in 2024 and launched a crowded GOP primary bid that includes House Speaker Lisa Demuth and health executive Kendall Qualls.
- His long public promotion of baseless 2020 election fraud claims has produced high name recognition but also defamation judgments and settlements, which critics and some GOP officials say could be a liability in a November matchup.
- Coverage differs in tone: outlets stress the procedural gaffe and electability concerns, while Lindell says he will vote and plans to resolve his registration status before the primary.