President Donald Trump on Wednesday withdrew his endorsement of Oklahoma GOP congressional candidate Jackson Lahmeyer and instead backed Republican rival Mark Tedford, a striking reversal that came just before Lahmeyer publicly said he was suspending his campaign. Lahmeyer told Fox News Digital, though, that he had decided to end his run the night before and had already informed his wife and campaign staff before Trump changed course on the endorsement.
“I made my decision to drop out of the race last night,” Lahmeyer told Fox News Digital. “I decided to choose my wife over my ambition. I informed my wife about my decision late last night and then my campaign team early this morning. My decision did not take place because of the decision of POTUS this afternoon.”
AP results showed Tedford in first place with 32.2% and Lahmeyer in second with 25.9%, sending both Republicans to a runoff election to replace Rep. Kevin Hern, who is running for the U.S. Senate.
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Trump had earlier endorsed Lahmeyer as a “MAGA Warrior” and longtime ally, making Wednesday’s switch one of the most notable reversals of the 2026 midterm cycle.
At about 2:23 p.m., Trump posted on Truth Social that he was supporting Tedford.
“I greatly appreciate Jackson Lahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances — He has always been with me, and I will always be with him,” Trump wrote. “But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will…
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