Rep. John Waldron suspended his reelection campaign Monday, days after confirming he resigned as chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party in December after sending a woman an AI-generated GIF of them “making out.”
Waldron (D-Tulsa) announced his campaign suspension after the official candidate withdrawal period, but the move virtually guarantees his primary challenger, Kristina Gabriel, will be the next representative for House District 77.
“After careful reflection coupled with consultation with some of my dearest friends, some of whom help me see things through a wider lens and are outside of the Capitol, I have decided to end my campaign for reelection,” Waldron wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “Stepping aside is the right thing to do for the people of District 77 and for me to continue my personal therapy to be a better person.”
Waldron, however, declined to resign from the office he has held since 2018, despite growing public calls for him to step down. His Facebook post announcing the decision drew several responses calling for his resignation, as well as some hostile remarks and a few people thanking him for deciding to suspend his campaign.
Waldron ultimately disabled comments for the post a few hours later, underscoring the volatility of the situation that has rocked Oklahoma’s Democratic Party while the 2026 election cycle ramps up and lawmakers hit the homestretch of the legislative session.
“I absolutely think Rep. Waldron should resign, and I am disappointed he has not done it already,” Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D-Tulsa) said Monday.
Despite Friday’s revelation that he used AI to create a sexualized GIF of himself and a potential candidate for office, Waldron went about his Monday like most any other, joining his colleagues in the House Education Oversight Committee and the House floor, where he was one of five members to vote against SB 1778‘s reform of the Strong Readers Act.
Waldron, a prominent Booker T. Washington High School history teacher before his political career, reiterated his apology for his action in his statement Monday.
“To the person I wronged, to my constituents, and to those who’ve supported me along the way, I want you to know the depth and breadth of the sorrow and remorse in my heart,” Waldron said. “Some have said it was because I was caught, but it sincerely is because I know what I did was wrong and I have let many of you down. I don’t offer this as an excuse, only an explanation and in hope for eventual forgiveness, if possible.”
RELATED
After sending woman AI kissing video, Rep. John Waldron resigned as Democratic Party chairman by Tres Savage
Reps. Amanda Clinton (D-Tulsa) and Cyndi Munson (D-OKC) both told NonDoc last week they had encouraged Waldron to resign and not file for reelection. Munson, the House minority leader and a candidate for governor, went further and said the House Democratic Caucus would not support Waldron in this election cycle. Current ODP Chairwoman Erin Brewer also called her former running-mate’s behavior “unforgivable.”
Asked at the Capitol on Monday if she had any comment about Waldron suspending his campaign, Munson reiterated her remarks from Friday.
“I’ve already given y’all my statement,” Munson said. “That’s all I’ve seen. What y’all saw is what I saw.”
Asked whether she still believes Waldron should resign, Munson replied, “Yes.”
Rep. Michelle McCane (D-Tulsa) offered a similar sentiment Tuesday.
“Rep. Waldron’s decision to remain in office as well his bid for reelection reflect that despite any work he has done, he still does not fully understand the impact of his actions on those around him,” McCane said. “While I appreciate him ending his campaign, I still believe he should resign, as not sexually harassing someone should be the bare minimum we can expect from our elected officials.”
Asked about the extent of the House Democratic Caucus’ investigation of the allegation against Waldron and whether any findings were sent to House Speaker Kyle Hilbert’s office, Democratic Caucus press secretary Jessa Murray said that “what was discussed internally as a caucus will remain internal.”
“As Leader Munson already stated, action was immediately taken and Rep. Waldron was asked multiple times by caucus leadership to step down and not seek reelection. He chose to file to run for reelection,” Murray said. “As she shared yesterday, she still thinks he should step down and was glad to learn yesterday that he made the decision to suspend his reelection campaign.”
Caroline Estes, Hilbert’s press secretary, said the “speaker found out about the issues from NonDoc” when Waldron confirmed his actions last week.
Former TDP official alleges ‘advances’
Since Waldron’s reason for resigning as party chairman became public Friday, multiple women have posted statements on Facebook questioning his broader behavior.
Former Tulsa County Democratic Party Vice Chairwoman Kayla Merchant posted allegations that Waldron made “advances” on her during his run for the ODP chairmanship. She apologized for not reporting his behavior.
“When I was supporting Kevin Dawson in the ODP chair race, I got a random call from John Waldron,” Merchant wrote. “Not long after that the tone changed. JW crossed boundary after boundary, and I thought, ‘Okay, I’m back down south now and this is how this works and I have to find a path forward.’ I doubted my judgement. I take full accountability for folks who trusted my opinion. I am deeply sorry. (…) I should’ve immediately reported his behavior to [the Tulsa County Democratic Party] and ODP, but I didn’t.”
Gabriel, the HD 77 candidate, released a statement Tuesday.
“I am aware that my opponent has withdrawn from the race for Oklahoma House District 77. I acknowledge the moral clarity it takes to step aside, and I respect that decision,” Gabriel said. “Even so, I have already been doing the work to earn the confidence of my neighbors and will continue to do that work all the way through Election Day. I remain committed to the people of this district and take seriously the responsibility of serving them with honesty and integrity. That means addressing the issues that matter most — lowering costs for working families, improving access to health care, strengthening tribal-state partnerships, and ensuring responsible regulation of the AI industry. I will continue working every day to meet voters where they are and build a future that reflects the shared values of our community.”
Read John Waldron’s full statement from Monday
To my friends, supporters, and constituents,
Since 2018, it has been the honor of my life to represent Tulsa in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Among other vital qualities in public service, it’s a calling that requires sound judgement, accountability, and the confidence of those you serve. In an instant, I sacrificed my integrity, doing something which was wrong and hurt someone. It shouldn’t have happened, period. I full-heartedly respect and understand what I did was wrong. In addition to my learning how deeply I hurt this person, their anonymity was and remains of the utmost importance to me as was emphatically requested by her. Additionally, I have been going and will continue to go to counseling and therapy sessions, and I am implementing the lessons I glean from every session into my life every day to become a better person.
To the person I wronged, to my constituents, and to those who’ve supported me along the way, I want you to know the depth and breadth of the sorrow and remorse in my heart. Some have said it was because I was caught, but it sincerely is because I know what I did was wrong and I have let many of you down. I don’t offer this as an excuse, only an explanation and in hope for eventual forgiveness, if possible.
After careful reflection coupled with consultation with some of my dearest friends, some of whom help me see things through a wider lens and are outside of the Capitol, I have decided to end my campaign for reelection. Stepping aside is the right thing to do for the people of District 77 and for me to continue my personal therapy to be a better person.
Most sincerely yours,
Rep. John C. Waldron
(Update: This article was updated at 4:05 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, to include additional information. It was updated again at 8:45 p.m. to correct reference to the 2026 gubernatorial race.)
