Pastors for Trump founder Jackson Lahmeyer has withdrawn from the US House race in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District. Lahmeyer’s decision comes after a texting scandal, in which he was alleged to have sent romantic text messages to a woman who is not his wife.

Background

Lahmeyer, the lead pastor of Sheridan Church in Tulsa, had been endorsed by President Donald Trump ahead of the primary. However, after the scandal broke, Trump announced that he would be supporting Lahmeyer’s runoff opponent, state lawmaker Mark Tedford, instead.

Lahmeyer acknowledged that he had engaged in inappropriate behavior, but criticized the timing and publication of the story. He stated that the matter had already been dealt with privately between him and his wife, and that he had ended all communication with the woman in question.

Lahmeyer’s withdrawal from the race leaves an open path to the nomination for Tedford, who is vying to succeed GOP Rep. Kevin Hern, who is running for Senate.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.