Lisa Demuth tops Mike Lindell in GOP primary for Minnesota governor

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth will win the Republican primary in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race, CBS News projects.

Demuthwill face Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who won the Democratic primary, in the Nov. 3 general election. 

The state Republican Party earlier this year endorsed Kendall Qualls over Demuth. While Demuth said in February she was “committed to both seek and abide by the endorsement,” she stayed in the race, citing irregularities in the convention voting process.

Qualls conceded to Demuth as her lead grew in the primary, congratulating her for “earning the support of the Republican primary voters.” 

“This is our opportunity to really move Minnesota forward and I’m excited about that,” Demuth said to media members on Tuesday night after CBS News projected she would win the primary.

Demuth launched her campaign while serving as the top Republican in the Minnesota Legislature during a divided session. In both her legislative work and run for governor, Demuth has targeted the hot-button fraud issue in Minnesota. She has repeatedly pinned the crisis on outgoing Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, and on her campaign website promised to “transform Minnesota’s state government into a fiscal and moral steward of our tax dollars.”

Demuth earned the primary win despite trailing MAGA candidate Mike Lindell in recent polls. Her running mate is Ryan Wilson, an attorney who ran unsuccessfully for state auditor in 2022.

“The Demuth-Wilson ticket, we are ready to serve Minnesota as the next administration that will respect taxpayer dollars, that will end fraud once and for all, we’ll improve our kids’ educational outcomes and make this a place that businesses can grow, start and thrive here rather than feeling like they have to leave,” Demuth said on Tuesday night.

Minnesota has not elected a Republican governor since Tim Pawlenty in 2006.  

See full results for the Minnesota primary on WCCO’s results page.