Republican congressional candidate Jackson Lahmeyer acknowledged late Sunday that he “crossed a boundary line through text messaging” while disputing a British tabloid’s characterization of the matter one day before voters head to the polls in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.
Lahmeyer’s statement followed the publication Sunday of a Daily Mail report containing allegations about his communications with Caitlin Simmons Key, a former Miss Oklahoma USA and former campaign fundraiser.
The Daily Mail report alleged that Lahmeyer exchanged personal and flirtatious text messages with Key and that the communications crossed appropriate boundaries for a married pastor seeking public office. The allegations contained in the report could not be independently verified by OKPoliticsToday.
“Today, a distorted story from a British Tabloid was released just two days before my election,” Lahmeyer wrote in a social media post Monday.
Lahmeyer said the matter had already been addressed privately between him and his wife, Kendra, “through counsel and prayer with God and spiritual advisors.”
“I own crossing a boundary line through text messaging,” Lahmeyer wrote. “I also ended all communication. The British Tabloid tried to paint me out in a way which is not the case.”
He also questioned whether the report had been politically motivated, writing that “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.”
Lahmeyer, pastor of Sheridan Church in Tulsa, founded Pastors for Trump, a coalition of clergy and faith leaders organized to support President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign. He has also worked closely with longtime Republican political adviser Roger Stone.
The controversy quickly became a campaign issue. Republican candidate Kim David posted on social media Sunday that Lahmeyer had “broken” the trust required of pastors and argued that he lacked “the character and judgment to serve us in Congress.” She urged voters to support her candidacy, writing, “You can trust me to fight for you and never bring embarrassment to our district.”
Trump on Monday reiterated his endorsement of Lahmeyer, again describing him as a “MAGA Warrior” and offering his “complete and total endorsement.”
Lahmeyer said he remains committed to his family, church and Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District.
