Mike Lindell backs SC’s Fry at Florence rally, doubles down on false election claims

MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell on Saturday threw his support behind a pair of GOP hopefuls running to unseat incumbents in two South Carolina U.S. House races, insisting his support hinges on questioning results of the 2020 presidential election which found no widespread voter fraud.

“To have these great candidates that have people’s back, it’s very easy. It’s, ‘do you think the election was stolen,’” Lindell said to a cheering crowd while standing next to state Rep. Russell Fry, who’s hoping to knock off U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, R-Myrtle Beach in a June primary for the 7th Congressional District seat.

“If you say, ‘yes,’ you’re in,” Lindell said of what it takes to earn his backing.

The Minnesota-born entrepreneur is facing 11 lawsuits by voting machine manufacturers, alleging his claims that the 2020 election amount to defamation and fraud.

Minutes after Lindell publicly backed Fry, Rice campaign advisor Walt Whetsell skewered the move on Twitter.

“In case there is any question about the depth of lunacy Russell Fry is willing to go to try and win an election, check out his video with his latest endorser,” he posted with a link of Lindell prasing the Surfside Beach lawmaker.

Lindell, who later in the day said he also supported GOP challenger Kate Arrington in South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, said both will be part of a new Republican landscape in Washington.

“We have all the pieces right now, we’re going to have the team now to take that field when get that new field,” he said. “More and more people are coming to where we’re at, and that’s what you’ve got here.”

In response to the endorsement, Fry said, “What a patriot.”

The State reporter Caitlin Byrd contributed to this report.

This story was originally published March 12, 2022 at 4:40 PM with the headline "Mike Lindell backs SC’s Fry at Florence rally, doubles down on false election claims."