Trump Withdraws Endorsement From Lahmeyer, Supports Tedford

President Donald Trump announced a shift in his endorsement for the Oklahoma GOP congressional race. On Wednesday, Trump withdrew his support for Jackson Lahmeyer and endorsed Republican candidate Mark Tedford.

Lahmeyer publicly suspended his campaign for Congress shortly after Trump’s endorsement switch. He clarified to Fox News Digital that his decision to end his campaign was independent of Trump’s actions, stating he chose his family over ambition. “I made my decision to drop out of the race last night,” Lahmeyer said. “I informed my wife and campaign team before any endorsement changes.”

Preliminary election results placed Tedford with 32.2% and Lahmeyer with 25.9%, propelling both to a runoff for the seat previously held by Rep. Kevin Hern, who is pursuing a Senate position.

“I greatly appreciate Jackson Lahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances,” Trump noted. “But, for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District race, I back Mark Tedford.”

Trump had labeled Lahmeyer a “MAGA Warrior,” making the endorsement flip one of the more notable moves of the current election cycle.

Trump described Tedford as fully supportive of the MAGA agenda. He affirmed his “Complete and Total Endorsement” for Tedford in the congressional race. Shortly after, Lahmeyer confirmed his campaign suspension on X, citing family and community priorities. He expressed gratitude for his supporters while emphasizing the need for strong representation in Washington.

Lahmeyer recently faced scrutiny for his interactions with former Miss Oklahoma USA Caitlin Simmons Key, which might have influenced his decision. He disputed the portrayal of these communications but acknowledged crossing a “boundary line through text messaging.” The exact reasons for Trump’s endorsement change remain unspecified, although this positions Tedford as the principal nominee in the GOP-dominated district.