Trump backs Tedford after Oklahoma pastor exits House runoff

Donald Trump’s rapid switch from Jackson Lahmeyer to Mark Tedford turned an Oklahoma House runoff into a blunt test of how fragile political loyalty can be when a candidate becomes a liability. Within minutes of Trump’s reversal, Lahmeyer dropped out of the race, canceling what had been set up as an August 25 runoff for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.

The district’s Republican primary on June 16 drew 11 candidates, the largest field in its history, and produced a clear front-runner in Tedford, who led with 32.2% of the vote. Lahmeyer finished second with 25.9%, enough to force a runoff in a deep-red seat that is widely expected to stay in Republican hands in November. The winner would have replaced Republican Rep. Kevin Hern, who is leaving the House to run for U.S. Senate.

The collapse of Lahmeyer’s bid came after the Daily Mail published text messages he exchanged with a former Miss Oklahoma pageant winner. Lahmeyer said he had “crossed a boundary,” but argued the messages were misrepresented. In his exit statement, he said he did not want to be “a distraction to my family, my church, and the great people of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District,” and said he reached the decision after prayerful consideration with his wife, Kendra, and his campaign team.

Trump quickly withdrew his endorsement of Lahmeyer and backed Tedford instead, praising Lahmeyer’s “hard work under difficult circumstances” and saying he had “always been with me.” The endorsement change underscored Trump’s continued dominance over Republican primaries, especially in a district where the GOP nominee is heavily favored. It also showed how quickly a candidate’s MAGA standing can shift once scandal threatens to outweigh loyalty.

Tedford entered the race with his own advantages. He was already being described as a coalition candidate with backing from state House Speaker Kyle Hilbert and other legislators, and he had about $600,000 in self-funding. Lahmeyer, meanwhile, had gained visibility as the founder of the Pastors for Trump faith leader alliance in 2022 and had been endorsed by Trump as recently as May 2026. AP also linked him to members of Trump’s inner circle.

The fallout reached beyond one district. Earlier this spring, Oklahoma Republican Party chair Charity Linch’s endorsement of Lahmeyer drew criticism from four former state party chairs, who argued party officials should stay neutral in open-seat primaries. With Lahmeyer out, Tedford moved straight to the general election, and the runoff became another reminder that Trump’s endorsement machine can lift a fringe contender fast, then abandon him just as quickly.