Jackson Lahmeyer, a pastor and once Trump-backed candidate for Congress in Oklahoma, announced he was pulling out of the race on Wednesday amid an ongoing scandal surrounding his relationship with a former Miss Oklahoma.

Trump pulled his endorsement of Lahmeyer on Wednesday and backed his GOP runoff challenger, Mark Tedford. Tedford and Lahmeyer both advanced to the runoff on Tuesday night with only 4,500 votes between them.

“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, adding:

But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford. Mark is Pro Trump and MAGA all the way! A Proven Leader, Mark has served his Community as a Highly Respected State Legislator and Businessman, prior to running for Congress. Mark Tedford has my Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Representative from Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District — HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!

Lahmeyer announced he was quitting soon after Trump’s post, writing, “After prayerful consideration with my wife, Kendra, and my team over the last twenty four hours, I’ve made the difficult decision to suspend my campaign for Congress. 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.”

On Monday night, The Daily Mail revealed the relationship Lahmeyer had with the former beauty queen, including revealing intimate text messages, in an article titled, “Scandal engulfs Trump’s ‘MAGA warrior’ on election eve: Read megachurch pastor’s red-hot texts to Miss Oklahoma – and furious wife’s vile accusation that shatters family-man image.”

The Daily Mail quoted Caitlin Simmons Key, the former beauty queen who also said she worked on Lahmeyer’s campaign, as texting the candidate, “I enjoyed those lips.” The report also showed other suggestive texts, including Lahmeyer offering Simmons Key an invitation to go to his hotel room. He later claimed the texts were “cherry-picked” to create the wrong impression.

Lahmeyer, a father of five, released a statement ahead of Tuesday’s primary vote in response to the Daily Mail article:

Today, a distorted story from a British Tabloid was released just two days before my election.

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. 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. 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,” he wrote on Monday.

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