{
  "id": 630555,
  "title": "Trump and the Republican Party Backed Competing Candidates in Minnesota’s Governor Primary. Both Fell Short",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/trump-and-the-republican-party-backed-competing-candidates-in",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-12T04:26:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/08/12/minnesota-governor-republican-primary-election-result-demuth-lindell-qualls/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the Minnesota gubernatorial primary, Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth emerged victorious, outpacing the endorsed and Trump-backed candidates, Mike Lindell and Kendall Qualls. The Associated Press declared Demuth the winner just before midnight on Tuesday, as she led with approximately 44% of the votes cast. This win positions her for the general election in November, where she is anticipated to face a challenging race against Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar.\n\nThe primary campaign brought together three leading contenders, each representing different factions of the Republican Party. As President Donald Trump publicly endorsed Lindell, a prominent election denier known as the \"MyPillow Guy,\" Lindell attempted to capitalize on this support. However, he ultimately fell short in the race, being eliminated in the fourth round of voting despite receiving third-place votes.\n\nMeanwhile, Kendall Qualls, a businessman and Army veteran, secured the GOP-endorsed nomination. Having never held public office before, Qualls called for a \"radical transformation\" to Minnesota's tax policy and education system during his campaign. Having already lost two previous attempts to win major seats, Qualls secured the state GOP endorsement after surpassing the 60% vote threshold in the fourth round of voting.\n\nDespite Demuth's government experience as the first Black woman and Republican woman to serve as House Speaker, she primarily differentiated herself by emphasizing her ability to bring people together and her conservative values that transcend party lines. This approach may prove crucial in her bid to defeat the current Democratic governor, Tim Walz, who announced his re-election bid in early January amid investigations into state welfare agencies and government-affiliated programs.",
  "summary": "Minnesota Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth has won the Republican primary for governor in her state, beating out the GOP-endorsed and Trump-backed candidates in the race.",
  "key_points": [
    "Minnesota GOP primary saw three candidates: Lindell, Qualls, and Demuth",
    "Speaker Lisa Demuth won with 44% of votes, beating endorsed candidates",
    "Lindell, endorsed by Trump, failed to advance past fourth voting round"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Lisa Demuth's primary win sets her up for a general election showdown with Senator Amy Klobuchar, with her cross-party appeal potentially being crucial in a tight contest.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The New York Times",
        "title": "Lisa Demuth Wins Republican Primary for Governor of Minnesota",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/lisa-demuth-wins-republican-primary-for-governor-of-minnesota",
        "published": "2026-08-12T03:32:23.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}