Oklahoma pastor drops out of House race after Trump unendorsed his campaign

  • by:
  • Source: NBC News
  • 07/27/2026
Jackson Lahmeyer, a Republican pastor who on Tuesday night advanced to a runoff election in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, dropped out of the race after President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement and backed his opponent, state Rep. Mark Tedford.
 

“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 said in a statement. “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 statement came minutes after Trump, in a post on Truth Social, thanked Lahmeyer for his “hard work under difficult circumstances,” but added, “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!”

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