{"id":4136,"date":"2026-06-17T20:34:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T20:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4136"},"modified":"2026-06-17T20:34:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T20:34:19","slug":"trump-endorsed-pastor-suspends-oklahoma-house-campaign-after-texting-scandal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4136","title":{"rendered":"Trump-endorsed pastor suspends Oklahoma House campaign after texting scandal"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n\n
Jackson Lahmeyer in 2022. In a statement this week, he admitted to \u201ccrossing a boundary line through text messaging\u201d but otherwise disputed what he called a \u201cdistorted story from a British Tabloid.\u201d (Doug Hoke\/Oklahoman\/USA Today Network)<\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n

Jackson Lahmeyer, an Oklahoma Republican congressional candidate endorsed by President Donald Trump, has suspended his campaign one day after advancing to a runoff, saying he did not want to be a \u201cdistraction\u201d amid questions about the nature of his relationship with a former staffer.<\/p>

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Lahmeyer, a megachurch pastor who is married with five children, has been mired in scandal since the Daily Mail published text messages<\/a>, days before the primary, between him and a woman who formerly served as his campaign fundraiser that suggested an inappropriate relationship.<\/p>\n

In a statement Monday, Lahmeyer admitted to \u201ccrossing a boundary line through text messaging\u201d with his former staffer but otherwise dismissed what he called a \u201cdistorted story from a British Tabloid.\u201d<\/p>\n

In Tuesday\u2019s Republican primary, Lahmeyer received <\/b>26 percent of the vote, coming in second to Oklahoma state Rep. Mark Tedford, who got 32 percent. The two were set to advance to a runoff when Lahmeyer abruptly announced he was leaving the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter prayerful consideration with my wife, Kendra, and my team over the last twenty four hours, I\u2019ve made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for Congress,\u201d Lahmeyer said in a statement Wednesday.<\/p>

Read more G-7 ends without rupture as allies praise Trump for ending Iran war<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI do not want to be a distraction to my family, my church, and the great people of Oklahoma\u2019s 1st Congressional District, who deserve a strong conservative voice representing them in Washington,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

Last month, President Donald Trump endorsed Lahmeyer from a crowded field of nearly a dozen candidates hoping to succeed Rep. Kevin Hern (R), who is running for Senate. At the time, the president described Lahmeyer \u2014 who founded Pastors for Trump \u2014 as \u201ca very successful Pastor, Businessman, and Civic Leader\u201d who had his \u201cComplete and Total Endorsement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!\u201d Trump said then<\/a>.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, the president appeared to rescind that endorsement, posting that, though he appreciated Lahmeyer\u2019s \u201chard work under difficult circumstances,\u201d he would now be supporting Telford instead.<\/p>\n

\u201cMark is Pro Trump and MAGA all the way! \u2026 HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!\u201d Trump wrote.<\/p>

Read more Ali Ahmed and Canada prepare for Vancouver homecoming at the World Cup in a wide-open Group B<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Megachurch pastor Jackson Lahmeyer ended his bid after advancing in a runoff. A British tabloid alleged he had an inappropriate relationship with a former staffer. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4134,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nTrump-endorsed pastor suspends Oklahoma House campaign after texting scandal - Moving Insider USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/movinginsiderusa.com\/?p=4136\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trump-endorsed pastor suspends Oklahoma House campaign after texting scandal - Moving Insider USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Megachurch pastor Jackson Lahmeyer ended his bid after advancing in a runoff. 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