Lisa Demuth won the Republican primary for Minnesota governor and will be the GOP nominee in November. She prevailed despite losing the party endorsement to Kendall Qualls and defeated better-known contenders, including Mike Lindell, who had former President Trump's backing. Demuth campaigned on "hope and change," focusing on alleged fraud in state programs, lower taxes and education reforms. Gov. Tim Walz's withdrawal and Sen. Amy Klobuchar's entrance have reshaped the race.
Lisa Demuth Wins Minnesota GOP Gubernatorial Primary, Advances To November
Lisa Demuth, a Republican state representative from Cold Spring, Minnesota, was the House Speaker in the 2025 session.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth has won the Republican gubernatorial primary and will be the party's nominee in November to succeed outgoing Gov. Tim Walz.
Demuth's victory was a notable demonstration of political strength after she stayed in the race despite failing to secure the Republican Party endorsement at the state convention. Kendall Qualls won the party endorsement only after 10 ballots, but Demuth argued her legislative experience and record leading House Republicans made her the stronger general-election candidate.
She also outpaced other high-profile contenders, including MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell, who campaigned with the national profile and personal endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Campaign Themes and Context
At her election-night watch party in St. Paul, Demuth framed her campaign around a message of "hope and change," saying voters are frustrated by alleged fraud in state programs. Her priorities include reducing taxes, improving education and strengthening oversight of state programs.
Gov. Tim Walz was mocked on social media following his suggestion he might run for president in 2028.
"There is hope for Minnesota, for the change that is so desperately needed," Demuth told reporters, adding that ending fraud and improving schools and taxes were central to her message.
The governor's race was reshaped earlier this year when Gov. Tim Walz withdrew from a planned reelection campaign, saying he wanted to devote his final year in office to addressing allegations of fraud in state programs. Prosecutors and investigations have described fraud claims that could total more than $9 billion, a major political liability for Walz's administration.
Walz leaves behind a record that included a sweeping set of Democratic priorities after his party controlled state government, including expanded abortion protections, free school meals, legalized recreational marijuana and paid family and medical leave — actions that have become focal points in the November campaign.
Democratic Field
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar entered the governor's contest after Walz's withdrawal, turning what had looked like a referendum on the incumbent's record into a potential matchup with one of Minnesota's best-known statewide figures. Klobuchar's entry raises the profile of the Democratic contest and sets up a high-profile November contest should she win the Democratic nomination.
Background: Demuth, a Republican state representative from Cold Spring, served as House Speaker during the 2025 legislative session and will now carry the GOP banner into the November general election. Republicans have not won a statewide race in Minnesota since 2006; the party's losing streak reached 28 consecutive statewide contests through the 2024 elections.
The November contest will test whether Demuth's message can break an 18-year losing streak for her party in statewide races and whether national attention and endorsements will shape the outcome in a battleground state.
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