Tedford, Trump-Backed Lahmeyer Advance to Aug. 25 Oklahoma House Runoff

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 17

Mark Tedford and Jackson Lahmeyer moved into an Aug. 25 Republican runoff for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, a Tulsa-area seat left open by Kevin Hern’s Senate bid.
The matchup now doubles as a test of Trump’s sway in Oklahoma Republicans after he endorsed Lahmeyer in May as a “MAGA Warrior,” with Speaker Mike Johnson also backing the pastor.
Lahmeyer advanced despite a late Daily Mail report that he sent intimate messages to a former fundraiser; he acknowledged the texts on Facebook and said they were selectively presented.
Tedford, a state representative, leaned on his legislative record and business credentials, and he lent his campaign more than $1 million, significantly outraising Lahmeyer.
The runoff winner will be favored in November against Democrat John Croisant because the district has been a reliably Republican seat since Hern first won it in 2018.