Emerging
Jun 17, 20261
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Oklahoma Pastor Withdraws from House Race After Inappropriate Text Messages Reported
Oklahoma megachurch pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, who founded Pastors for Trump and had Trump's endorsement, withdrew from a Republican House runoff after reports surfaced that he exchanged thousands of romantic text messages with a campaign fundraiser. Trump subsequently endorsed Lahmeyer's runoff opponent, Mark Tedford.
Quick Facts
Who
Jackson Lahmeyer
What
Lahmeyer withdrew from GOP House runoff
When
Sunday (Daily Mail report)
Where
Oklahoma
- Lahmeyer withdrew from GOP House runoff
- Reports emerged of romantic text messages between Lahmeyer and campaign fundraiser
- Lahmeyer acknowledged crossing boundary line through text messaging
- Lahmeyer deleted social media accounts
- Trump endorsed Lahmeyer's runoff opponent Mark Tedford
Jackson Lahmeyer, an Oklahoma megachurch pastor who founded Pastors for Trump and had received backing from Donald Trump, has withdrawn from a Republican runoff for a U.S. House seat representing Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District. The withdrawal came after reports emerged that Lahmeyer had sent thousands of romantic text messages to a woman who was not his wife and who worked as a fundraiser for his campaign.
Lahmeyer announced his decision on Wednesday in a statement released to supporters, describing it as a "difficult decision" made "after prayerful consideration with my wife, Kendra, and my team over the last twenty four hours." He stated that he did not want to be a distraction to his family, his church, or the people of Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District. The timing of his withdrawal was notably swift—occurring just one day after he advanced to the August runoff in Oklahoma's primary election.
The controversy intensified when President Trump endorsed Lahmeyer's runoff opponent, Mark Tedford, a state representative in Oklahoma, just minutes after Lahmeyer's withdrawal announcement was released. Trump praised Tedford as "Pro Trump and MAGA all the way," while acknowledging Lahmeyer's "hard work under difficult circumstances." This represented a significant shift from Trump's endorsement of Lahmeyer on Monday—the day before the primary—when Trump had commended him for founding Pastors for Trump, the nationwide faith leader coalition that supported Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
The Daily Mail first reported on Sunday that Lahmeyer had exchanged thousands of romantic text messages with the campaign fundraiser. Lahmeyer subsequently acknowledged the behavior in a now-deleted social media post, stating that the matter "was already dealt with privately" and that he owned "crossing a boundary line through text messaging." He also deleted his social media accounts, though his reasons for doing so remained unclear. Lahmeyer serves as pastor of Sheridan Church in Tulsa and continues to be listed on the church's website as part of an upcoming Remnant Rising event that will include General Michael Flynn, Trump's former national security adviser.
Why This Matters
This scandal reveals vulnerabilities in Trump's vetting process for endorsed candidates and exposes potential credibility issues within faith-based political movements tied to his 2024 campaign. For voters evaluating Trump-backed candidates and the integrity of Pastors for Trump, this incident demonstrates the need for due diligence on candidates' personal conduct before primary elections. The swift reversal of Trump's endorsement also highlights how campaign endorsements can shift rapidly based on emerging controversies, affecting the reliability of Trump's support as a political signal.