Pastors for Trump founder drops out of House race after texting scandal

Jackson Lahmeyer has dropped retired of the House contention successful Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District — 1 time aft advancing to a runoff in the Republican superior — amid a text-messaging scandal.

"After prayerful information with my wife, Kendra, and my squad implicit the past 20 4 hours, I've made the hard determination to suspend my run for Congress," Lahmeyer posted connected societal media. "I bash not privation to beryllium a distraction to my family, my church, and the large radical of Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District, who merit a beardown blimpish dependable representing them successful Washington."

The Daily Mail earlier this week published what it said were substance messages betwixt Lahmeyer and a erstwhile Miss Oklahoma, who is not his wife. In 1 alleged exchange, helium called her "very cute" and sent a selfie of himself portion astatine a enactment astatine President Trump's Mar-a-Lago nine successful Florida. The substance messages were besides viewed by CBS Tulsa affiliate KOTV. CBS News has not independently verified the texts.   

Lahmeyer, a pastor who founded a radical called Pastors for Trump, had received Mr. Trump's endorsement successful May, wth Mr. Trump reiterating his support on Monday up of the primary. Mr. Trump besides posted a graphic connected societal media Tuesday nighttime astir Lahmeyer advancing to a runoff, which included the words "endorsed by Trump." 

But connected Wednesday, Mr. Trump posted connected societal media that portion helium appreciates Lahmeyer's "hard enactment nether hard circumstances," helium would present beryllium supporting Mark Tedford, the apical vote-getter successful Tuesday's primary, successful the runoff. 

"I greatly admit Jackson Lahmeyer's hard enactment nether hard circumstances — He has ever been with me, and I volition ever beryllium with him. But, erstwhile it comes to the existent Congressional contention for Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District, I volition beryllium supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford. Mark is Pro Trump and MAGA each the way!" Mr. Trump wrote. 

Lahmeyer dropped retired of the contention soon afterward. 

After quality of the substance messages broke, Lahmeyer issued a connection calling it a "distorted communicative by a British Tabloid," but helium admitted to "crossing a bound done substance messaging." 

"This substance was already dealt with privately betwixt maine and my wife, Kendra, done counsel and supplication with God and spiritual advisors," Lahmeyer wrote connected societal media connected Sunday. "I ain crossing a bound enactment done substance messaging. I besides ended each communication. The British Tabloid tried to overgarment maine retired successful a mode which is not the case." 

With Lahmeyer dropping retired of the race, Tedford volition beforehand to the wide predetermination successful November. The spot is unfastened aft Rep. Kevin Hern decided to tally for Senate.