MINNESOTA — MyPillow announced Tuesday that Mike Lindell is stepping down as CEO to focus on his campaign for governor of Minnesota. The company stated that Lindell reduced his ownership stake to a minority position and will remain a member of the Board of Directors.

Lindell framed the departure as a necessary step to dedicate his full attention to the state's electorate. "This decision is not about walking away. It is about stepping forward to serve. I am putting Minnesota above myself, my title, and my business interests so I can give this campaign and the people of our state my full time, energy, and attention," Lindell said in a statement.

He added that after 22 years of leading the company, he knew Minnesota could not wait. James Furlong will take over as CEO of MyPillow. Furlong served as the company’s director from 2004 to 2019 before stepping down and later returning to lead the organization. Lindell founded MyPillow in 2004 and built it into a multi-million-dollar business.

The leadership change occurs as Lindell faces legal challenges regarding his campaign activities. Dan Fiskum, a candidate for state senate, filed a complaint on July 22 alleging that Lindell violated campaign finance laws by distributing promotional pillows with "Mike Lindell for Governor" written on them. Administrative Law Judge Nicholas Lienesch issued an order on July 27 finding that the allegations, taken as true, are sufficient to establish a prima facie violation of Minnesota’s Fair Campaign Practices Act.

Lindell rejected the allegations as politically motivated. "This is all a hit job, we are not in violation at all," he said. He characterized the complaint as an attack on his candidacy because the Republican Party establishment did not support his endorsement by Donald Trump. "The establishment hasn’t done anything for us," he said.

Lindell defended the distributed items as standard promotional materials similar to hats or shirts. He stated that the pillows were miniature "Go Anywhere" products used for promotions and contained campaign literature inside. "They’re little pillows just like if you gave away a hat or a shirt or anything. Our literature is inside it," he said.

He provided an invoice showing his campaign purchased 2,500 pillows for $4.50 each and stated that he and his campaign consulted with the state’s campaign finance board regarding the items. Representatives from the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board were unable to confirm that Lindell's campaign received guidance from them. The board has previously allowed candidates to use books as campaign material, stating that it is acceptable for candidates who have published books to use them in their campaigns. Campaign finance reports show Lindell's campaign bought $250,000 worth of his autobiography to distribute.

Lindell has spent millions of dollars attempting to prove the 2020 election was fraudulent. He has also paid millions of dollars in defamation settlements to a former employee of a voting machine company and to another individual. During a parade in Foley, Lindell distributed the promotional pillows and copies of his autobiography. He called Fiskum's allegations "a complete lie" and suggested the complaint was designed to benefit rival candidate Lisa Demuth.

Administrative Law Judge Nicholas B. Lienesch scheduled a probable cause hearing for Monday morning at 10 a.m. to hear from the citizen complainant and Lindell. Early voting is underway for the August 11 primary election in Minnesota. A KSTP-TV/SurveyUSA poll shows Lindell leading with 27% support. He finished third behind Kendall Qualls and Lisa Demuth in the fight for the Republican party endorsement at the GOP state convention.

The Republican Party of Minnesota asked Secretary of State Steve Simon to clarify constitutional residency rules for gubernatorial candidates. The party cited concern over Lindell's domicile status in their request. Senator Amy Klobuchar is the presumptive favorite for the Democratic candidacy for governor of Minnesota. Lindell stated that people cannot afford to live in the state and that he wants to make Minnesota affordable again.

Why It Matters

Lindell's transition from CEO to minority shareholder establishes a precedent for business leaders separating corporate control while pursuing high office. The leadership change occurs as early voting begins and legal challenges regarding campaign finance violations proceed before the primary. These developments impact the Republican nomination contest, where residency questions and alleged promotional infractions remain unresolved ahead of the August 11 election.