The Tulsa pastor said he is leaving politics and taking a sabbatical from preaching after withdrawing from the GOP runoff in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.
TULSA — One day after abandoning his bid for Congress and losing President Donald Trump’s endorsement, Tulsa pastor Jackson Lahmeyer admitted to having an affair with a former beauty queen who helped raise money for his campaign.
According to The Oklahoman’s account of an interview published Thursday by the Daily Mail, Lahmeyer acknowledged he cheated on his wife with Caitlin Key, Miss Oklahoma USA 2007, and said the two had a sexual relationship in 2022.
The latest revelation marks a stunning downfall for the founder of Pastors for Trump, who until Wednesday was headed to an Aug. 25 runoff against state Rep. Mark Tedford of Jenks.
Wednesday brought two dramatic developments in the race. Trump abandoned his endorsement of Lahmeyer and instead backed Tedford, while Lahmeyer suspended his campaign and withdrew from the runoff.
“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 on Truth Social. “But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford.”
Lahmeyer finished second in Tuesday’s Republican primary, earning enough votes to advance to a runoff. Later Wednesday, the preacher who shares five children with his wife, Kendra, announced he was suspending his campaign, citing “recent personal events” and apologizing to his family, congregation and supporters.
Lahmeyer’s exit followed days of mounting scrutiny after the Daily Mail published text messages between him and Key. Initially, Lahmeyer acknowledged only that he had “crossed a boundary line” through text messaging with a woman who was not his wife.
Thursday’s report went further. According to The Oklahoman’s account of the Daily Mail interview, Lahmeyer admitted the relationship became physical and said he had sex with Key in 2022.
The Oklahoman also reported that Lahmeyer told the Daily Mail he was finished with politics and planned to take a sabbatical from preaching.
Lahmeyer and his wife have led Sheridan Church in Tulsa since 2017.
The controversy also appears to have affected church events planned for this weekend. The Oklahoman reported that Eric Trump, the president’s son, was no longer featured in promotional materials for an event scheduled Friday and Saturday at Sheridan Church.
Under Oklahoma election law, Lahmeyer’s withdrawal after advancing to the runoff leaves Tedford as the only remaining Republican candidate for the seat. Tedford will face Democratic nominee Dennis Baker in the November general election.
