MAGA Pastor Drops Out After Trump Unendorses Him Amid Cheating Scandal

A Republican candidate for Congress in Oklahoma dropped out of the race after President Donald Trump snatched back his endorsement in the messy aftermath of a cheating scandal.

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Jackson Lahmeyer, a MAGA pastor who endorses Christian values, announced that he was bowing out of the race to fill a House seat in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District after the Daily Mail exposed his alleged infidelity—and shortly after Trump rescinded his glowing endorsement.

“I do not want to be a distraction to my family, my church, and the great people of Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, who deserve a strong conservative voice representing them in Washington,” he added. “I sincerely appreciate all the support along the way. I will never forget those who stood by me and fought alongside us when I needed them the most.”

Last month, Trump heaped praise on Lahmeyer, branding him a “MAGA warrior” who will “NEVER LET YOU DOWN!” He repeated his endorsement on Monday.

Over the weekend, however, the race was rocked by scandal when the Daily Mail published Lahmeyer’s texts to Caitlin Simmons Key, a 40-year-old former pageant queen who worked as a fundraiser for his campaign.

“You are super thin and very cute lol,” he wrote in one of the texts.

“I like texting you lol,” he said in another.

But Lahmeyer later came clean to his wife, Kendra, with whom he shares five children.

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“You are a home-wrecking wh–e. Did you enjoy ruining our family?” Kendra told Key, using what appeared to be Lahmeyer’s phone. “He has 5 kids. How dare you.”

Lahmeyer addressed the controversy in a Facebook post.

“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,” he said. “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,” Lahmeyer went on. “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.”

But it appeared that the scandal had already made an impression on Trump, who took back his endorsement of Lahmeyer on Wednesday, just minutes before the candidate dropped out.

“I greatly appreciate Jackson Lahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post. “He has always been with me, and I will always be with him. But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford.”