Pastors for Trump founder advances to runoff in Oklahoma primary for Hern’s seat

Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, and Oklahoma state Rep. Mark Tedford (R) are projected to advance to a runoff in the GOP primary for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, Decision Desk HQ projected.

Neither candidate was projected to clear the 50-percent threshold necessary to clinch the nomination on Tuesday. Ten GOP candidates competed for the nomination in the solid red district currently represented by Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who won the Republican nod for the state’s open Senate seat Tuesday.

The winner of the runoff on Aug. 25 will head into November’s general election against Democrat John Croisant, who ran unopposed in his party’s primary on Tuesday.

The race has become a proxy battle between the MAGA movement and the conservative establishment in the state.

President Trump endorsed Lahmeyer, who is generally seen as close to the MAGA movement. The president’s sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, have both visited his church in the past.

Tedford, meanwhile, has touted himself as the establishment conservative choice. He was backed by the Oklahoma House Speaker and the three Tulsa County commissioners.

Tedford outraised Lahmeyer — $347,885 to $289,786 — but Lahmeyer’s brand as a Trump loyalist running on faith-based values made him the early favorite in the race.

Lahmeyer’s campaign was bolstered by his name recognition. In 2022, he ran unsuccessfully against Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), losing by more than 40 percentage points.