{"id":2649133,"date":"2026-08-25T03:44:03","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T07:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lindell-accuses-minnesota-of-bait-and-switch-in-recount-efforts\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T04:01:45","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T08:01:45","slug":"mike-lindell-accuses-minnesota-of-bait-and-switch-in-recount-efforts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/mike-lindell-accuses-minnesota-of-bait-and-switch-in-recount-efforts\/","title":{"rendered":"Mike Lindell accuses Minnesota of \u2018bait and switch\u2019 in recount efforts"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmike-lindell-accuses-minnesota-of-bait-and-switch-in-recount-efforts%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2649133&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Mike Lindell, the founder of MyPillow and a political activist, announced he is withholding his $825,000 payment for a recount in Minnesota&#8217;s recent gubernatorial primary. He claims the Minnesota Secretary of State changed the scope of the recount at the last minute,limiting it only to votes for two Republican candidates,whereas lindell believed it would cover the entire primary. Lindell asserts this change violates Minnesota law and alleges election irregularities, including an algorithm indicating anomalies in election night reporting.Despite losing the primary to Lisa Demuth, Lindell plans to self-fund the recount to challenge voting systems and promote election reform, viewing it as a step toward eliminating electronic voting machines.He has requested the state&#8217;s secretary of state postpone the payment deadline until a court rules on the recount parameters,citing concerns over the legality of the current scope.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">MyPillow founder-turned-political activist <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/mike-lindell\/\">Mike Lindell<\/a> announced he was withholding his $825,000 payment for a recount in the recent <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/minnesota\/\">Minnesota<\/a> gubernatorial primary. He accused Minnesota\u2019s secretary of state of engaging in a last-minute \u201cbait and switch\u201d on the \u201cscope of the recount.\u201d Lindell was told the recount would apply only to votes cast for the two Republican candidates, whereas Lindell claimed he was initially told it would apply to votes cast in the entire primary election. He accused Minnesota\u2019s secretary of state of violating the law. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMike Lindell has his wire transfer of $825,000 primed and ready to cover the costs of the nation\u2019s largest recount effort in history, but the Minnesota Secretary of State, at the last minute, changed the scope of the recount in violation of Minnesota law,\u201d <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lindelloffensefund.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">read<\/a> a press release from the Lindell campaign.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4699038\/mike-lindell-accuses-minnesota-of-bait-and-switch-in-recount-efforts\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mike Lindell accuses Minnesota of \u2018bait and switch\u2019 in recount efforts<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4697850\/us-military-kills-two-in-lethal-kinetic-strike-in-pacific-ocean\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>US military kills two in \u2018lethal kinetic strike\u2019 in Pacific Ocean<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4697835\/enes-kanter-freedom-ejected-wnba-game\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Enes Kanter Freedom ejected from WNBA game after courtside confrontation with player<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cEarlier today, the Secretary of State made clear to Mike Lindell that they changed the scope of the audit by limiting the recount to only two Republican candidates \u2014 Mike Lindell and Lisa Demuth,\u201d read the release. \u201cThe rest of the candidates\u2019 votes would not be counted under their \u2018contingent plan.\u2019 Nor would the Democrat ballots be counted, even though the same ballot form was used for both gubernatorial primaries.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The release then cited a specific statute in Minnesota election law pertaining to elections that Lindell believed proved he was right. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cUnder Minnesota Statute Section 204C.35, subd (3) of Minnesota law, the scope of a recount is \u2018the number of votes validly cast for the office \u2026 to be recounted,\u2019\u201d cited Lindell\u2019s campaign in the release. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lindell also claimed that the alleged election night irregularities affected all of the candidates in the recent election, not just the Republican primary voters. Lindell\u2019s team cited an \u201calgorithm\u201d that allegedly showed \u201canomalies in election night reporting identified by Mike Lindell\u2019s team.\u201d <\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Minnesota\u2019s Republican gubernatorial primary on Aug. 11, Lindell <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/op-eds\/4684633\/minnesota-governor-primary-lisa-demuth-mike-lindell-trump\/\" rel=\"noopener\">was defeated by Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth<\/a>. The <em>Associated Press<\/em> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/projects\/elections-2026\/minnesota-primary-results-governor\/\" rel=\"noopener\">reported<\/a> that Demuth received 43.4% of the vote to Lindell\u2019s 32.5%. Lindell announced he would self-fund a recount due to his belief that there were voting irregularities. He also called his recount efforts a \u201cgateway to getting rid of\u201d electronic voting machines. <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOne of the few good election laws Minnesota does have is that as a candidate, I have the right to completely audit and hand count every ballot in the state, and I am going to exercise that right to full extent of the law,\u201d said Lindell in a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lindelloffensefund.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">press release<\/a>. \u201cEven if this recount and audit does not overturn my election for governor of Minnesota, I believe this is the gateway to getting rid of these electronic voting machines. One hundred and thirty-two countries have banned these machines already. The United States should be setting the standard for elections, instead we are the worst in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/4693841\/mike-lindell-recount-minnesota-governor-loss\/\"><strong>LINDELL SELF-FUNDING RECOUNT IN DOUBLE-DIGIT MINNESOTA GOVERNOR PRIMARY LOSS<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lindell\u2019s press release on Monday <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/lindelloffensefund.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">included<\/a> an image of an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >alleged authentic money wire transfer<\/a> for $825,000. The Lindell campaign claimed the decision by Minnesota not to audit the entire election has put him \u201cin an untenable position.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf Lindell officially kicks off the recount effort by submitting the $825,000 amount to pay for a recount in accordance with the illegal scope defined by the Secretary of State, the recount will not be conducted in a lawful manner nor would it address the election results anomalies cited by his team,\u201d read the release. \u201cIf Lindell fights to obtain a lawful recount that involves all candidates for the Governor\u2019s race, the Secretary of State claims he would lose his right to any recount because he would not meet the deadline for the unlawful recount.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lindell has reportedly asked the Minnesota secretary of state to postpone the payment deadline \u201cuntil a court can rule on the parameters of the recount proposed by the Secretary of State.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lindell withholds $825K over recount scope dispute<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2649134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26196433239679.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[32644,39754,38887,5698,6275],"class_list":["post-2649133","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-election-integrity","tag-fraud-allegations","tag-mike-lindell","tag-minnesota","tag-recount"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26196433239679.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649133","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2649133"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2649137,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2649133\/revisions\/2649137"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2649134"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2649133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2649133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2649133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}