Republicans in Tulsa voted Tuesday to send pastor Jackson Lahmeyer and state Rep. Mark Tedford to an August runoff in the race to represent Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District. Current U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Tulsa) won the Republican primary for an open U.S. Senate seat.
With all 297 precincts reporting, Tedford led with 32.2 percent support (23,217 votes) to Lahmeyer’s 25.9 percent (18,676 votes).
Undeterred by a brutal 48 hours in the national news cycle, Lahmeyer released a statement after advancing to the runoff, while Tedford had not publicly commented on his win prior to the publication of this article.
“Tonight’s results showed career politicians cannot stop the MAGA movement. I thank God, my wife, Kendra, my family, and my supporters who came out and backed our campaign,” Lahmeyer said. “But the job is not over. We need everyone who came out today to keep fighting until we succeed. Let’s send a Trump-endorsed warrior to fight for Oklahoma values in Congress. Game on.”
Lahmeyer had been favored in the CD 1 race since receiving President Donald Trump’s endorsement, but he faces a growing number of accusations and criticisms, including a Daily Mail tabloid-style story on Sunday that detailed his flirty text messages with a former Miss Oklahoma who had worked on his campaign as a fundraiser.
A Tulsa-based pastor who unsuccessfully ran against U.S. Sen. James Lankford in 2022, Lahmeyer acknowledged that he “cross[ed] a boundary through text messaging,” but he received a reiterated endorsement from Trump on Monday. In his own post, Lahmeyer hinted at a future statement from his wife:
Today, a distorted story from a British tabloid was released just two days before my election.
This matter was already dealt with privately between me and my wife, Kendra, through counsel and prayer with God and spiritual advisors. 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.
At the same time, we must ask the question if this story was paid for and why our communications were carefully cherry-picked to create an impression that is not accurate.
I am beyond grateful to have Kendra’s support. I am fully committed to my family, church and Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.
I have little doubt that those in the political establishment who oppose my America First Candidacy will attempt to make more of this than it is. My wife Kendra may have more to say on this subject in the coming days.
While Trump’s endorsement carried Lahmeyer through the initial primary, growing criticism for allegations that his church has violated IRS rules and reporting from The Frontier noting his nonprofit organization, Pastors for Trump, was never incorporated have dogged his campaign.
Tedford, an insurance agent and state representative, also advanced to the runoff. While Lahmeyer has received endorsements from more MAGA-aligned Republicans nationally, Tedford has mobilized an long list of local politicians endorsing his campaign, including all three Tulsa County commissioners, the mayors of Broken Arrow, Bixby, Sapulpa, Jenks, Glenpool and Sand Springs, as well as Insurance Commissioner Glenn Mulready, according to his campaign website.
Lahmeyer and Tedford will advance to an Aug. 25 Republican runoff election, the winner of which will face Democrat John Croissant, a Tulsa Public Schools board member, in the November general election.
With 297 of 297 precincts reporting, other Republicans who failed to make the runoff include:
- Nathan Butterfield, who received 16 percent (11,525 votes);
- Kim David, who received 7 percent (4,720 votes);
- Jed Cochran, who received 5 percent (3,416 votes);
- Courtney Gill, who received 4 percent (2,904 votes);
- Dan Rooney, who dropped out and still received 4 percent (2,520 votes);
- Tom Woods, who received 3 percent (1,877 votes);
- Nancy Dyson, who received 2 percent (1,544 votes);
- Kelly Walsh, who received 2 percent (1,452 votes); and
- Paul Royse, who received less than 1 percent (351 votes).
