Jackson Lahmeyer, a Christian nationalist and founder of Pastors for Trump, announced on Wednesday the suspension of his campaign for Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District. The decision came after reports of extramarital intimate text messages surfaced, leading to a loss of endorsement from Donald Trump.
Campaign Suspension
In a statement, Lahmeyer said, "After prayerful consideration with my wife, Kendra, and my team over the last twenty four hours, I've made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for Congress. I do not want to be a distraction to my family, my church, and the great people of Oklahoma's 1st congressional district, who deserve a strong conservative voice representing them in Washington." He expressed gratitude for the support he received during his campaign.
Runoff Election Context
Lahmeyer's announcement came one day after he and fellow Republican Mark Tedford advanced to a runoff election in their party primary to replace Kevin Hern, who vacated his House seat to run for the US Senate. With Lahmeyer's withdrawal, Tedford becomes the presumptive Republican nominee.
Infidelity Allegations
The Daily Mail reported over the weekend that Lahmeyer had sent intimate text messages to a former campaign fundraiser who was not his wife and had previously won the Miss Oklahoma USA beauty pageant. In a social media post on Sunday, Lahmeyer described the report as "distorted" but acknowledged sending the messages. He stated, "This matter was already dealt with privately between me and my wife, Kendra, through counsel and prayer with God and spiritual advisors. I own crossing a boundary line through text messaging. I also ended all communication. The British tabloid tried to paint me out in a way which is not the case."
Trump's Shift in Endorsement
Trump had endorsed Lahmeyer in early May. However, on Wednesday afternoon, just minutes before Lahmeyer announced the suspension, Trump shifted his endorsement to Tedford. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he appreciated "Jackson Lahmeyer's hard work under difficult circumstances" and that "he has always been with me, and I will always be with him." But Trump added, "when it comes to the current ... race for Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford."
Broader Context
Lahmeyer's suspension follows similar incidents involving Representatives Eric Swalwell and Tony Gonzales, who resigned amid sexual misconduct allegations. Swalwell also withdrew from California's gubernatorial race, while Gonzales admitted to an affair with an aide who later died by suicide. Additionally, Graham Platner secured the Democratic nomination for the US Senate in Maine despite an extramarital sexting scandal.
