House candidate who started Pastors for Trump drops out of race after text messaging scandal

Jackson Lahmeyer has dropped out of the House race in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District — one day after advancing to a runoff in the Republican primary — amid a text-messaging scandal.

“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,” Lahmeyer posted on social media. “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.”

The Daily Mail earlier this week published what it said were text messages between Lahmeyer and a former Miss Oklahoma, who is not his wife. In one alleged exchange, he called her “very cute” and sent a selfie of himself while at a party at President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. The text messages were also viewed by CBS Tulsa affiliate KOTV. CBS News has not independently verified the texts.    

Lahmeyer, a pastor who founded a group called Pastors for Trump, had received Mr. Trump’s endorsement in May, with Mr. Trump reiterating his support on Monday ahead of the primary. Mr. Trump also posted a graphic on social media Tuesday night about Lahmeyer advancing to a runoff, which included the words “endorsed by Trump.”   

But on Wednesday, Mr. Trump posted on social media that while he appreciates Lahmeyer’s “hard work under difficult circumstances,” he would now be supporting Mark Tedford, the top vote-getter in Tuesday’s primary, in the runoff. 

“I greatly appreciate Jackson Lahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances — He has always been with me, and I will always be with him. But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford. Mark is Pro Trump and MAGA all the way!” Mr. Trump wrote. 

Lahmeyer dropped out of the race shortly afterward. 

After news of the text messages broke, Lahmeyer issued a statement calling it a “distorted story by a British Tabloid,” but he admitted to “crossing a boundary through text messaging.” 

“This matter was already dealt with privately between me and my wife, Kendra, through counsel and prayer with God and spiritual advisors,” Lahmeyer wrote on social media on Sunday. “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.” 

With Lahmeyer dropping out of the race, Tedford will advance to the general election in November. The seat is open after Rep. Kevin Hern decided to run for Senate.