Mike Lindell Sues Minnesota Election Officials Over Recount ‘Bait and Switch’ | 26 Aug 2026 | Former gubernatorial candidate and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell is suing the Minnesota secretary of state and local election officials, saying they changed the parameters of a potential recount following his loss in the Republican primary. Earlier this month, Lindell finished second to state House Speaker Lisa Demuth, falling short by around 45,000 votes, or 11 points, despite an endorsement from President Donald Trump. Due to the large margin between Lindell and Demuth, state law requires him to pay $825,000 for the recount and submit that payment by Monday, according to Alpha News. Lindell said his wire transfer was ready to go when “the Minnesota Secretary of State, at the last minute, changed the scope of the recount in violation of Minnesota law.” Instead of recounting all the votes, Lindell said the process would only examine votes linked to Lindell and Demuth, despite several other candidates being on the ballot. Lindell’s team is arguing that setting such narrow terms violates Minnesota statutes. They also said this change amounts to a “bait-and-switch” tactic, putting him in an impossible position. Either he pays for a recount that’s narrowed in scope, or he fights it in court and misses the Monday deadline.