President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement of Oklahoma GOP congressional candidate Jackson Lahmeyer and instead backed Republican rival Mark Tedford. This change happened shortly before Lahmeyer announced he was suspending his campaign.
Lahmeyer told Fox News Digital that he had decided to end his campaign the previous night. He informed his wife and campaign team before Trump switched his endorsement.
“I made my decision to drop out of the race last night,” Lahmeyer said. “I decided to choose my wife over my ambition.”
According to results, Tedford led with 32.2%, and Lahmeyer followed with 25.9%. Both Republicans advanced to a runoff election to succeed Rep. Kevin Hern, who is running for the U.S. Senate.
Trump’s endorsement switch marked a notable reversal in the 2026 midterm cycle. Initially, Trump supported Lahmeyer as a “MAGA Warrior.” However, at 2:23 p.m., Trump announced on Truth Social his new support for Tedford.
Trump described Tedford as “Pro Trump and MAGA all the way” and granted him his “Complete and Total Endorsement.” Just minutes later, Lahmeyer announced on social media his decision to suspend his campaign.
“After prayerful consideration with my wife, Kendra, and my team over the last twenty-four hours, I’ve made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for Congress,” Lahmeyer stated.
Lahmeyer expressed he did not want to distract from his family, church, and community in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District. Fox News Digital contacted Lahmeyer, Tedford, and the White House for comments. A White House official referred to Trump’s statement and provided no extra comments.
This decision by Trump marked a significant shift from his earlier support for Lahmeyer before Oklahoma’s June 16 primary. Reports discussed Lahmeyer’s communications with former Miss Oklahoma USA Caitlin Simmons Key, which led to controversies.
Lahmeyer admitted he crossed a “boundary line through text messaging” but disputed the portrayal of the situation. No public explanation was given by Trump or the White House for the endorsement change. Now, Tedford stands as the probable Republican nominee in the district.
Jasmine Baehr is a Breaking News Writer for Fox News Digital covering politics, the military, faith, and culture.
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