Mike Lindell Resigns as MyPillow CEO to Run Governor Race

Mike Lindell, the founder and longtime CEO of MyPillow, stepped down from his leadership role on Tuesday, August 4, to focus entirely on his campaign for the Republican nomination for governor of Minnesota. The announcement comes one week before the state's primary election on August 11.

Lindell said he is reducing his ownership stake to a minority share but will remain on the company's Board of Directors. James Furlong, who served as the company's president or director from 2004 to 2019, will take over as CEO. In a statement, Lindell framed the move as a necessary step to serve the state. "After 22 years of leading MyPillow, I know the company is ready for its next chapter and I know Minnesota cannot wait," he said. "This decision is not about walking away. It is about stepping forward to serve."

The candidate is entering the final stretch of the primary as a leading contender, buoyed by a formal endorsement from former President Donald Trump. A recent KSTP/SurveyUSA poll showed Lindell with 35 percent support among likely Republican primary voters, leading Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who had 26 percent, and businessman Kendall Qualls, who had 11 percent. The poll had...