Jackson Lahmeyer, the evangelical pastor from Owasso, Oklahoma, and founder of Pastors for Trump, announced on Tuesday his candidacy for a U.S. House seat in Tulsa's district. The seat, currently held by Rep. Kevin Hern, has opened due to Hern's plans to seek a Senate position vacated by Markwayne Mullin. Lahmeyer positions himself as a bold supporter of President Trump's agenda.
Jackson Lahmeyer, a 34-year-old pastor at Sheridan Church in Owasso, Oklahoma, declared his candidacy on Tuesday night for Oklahoma's congressional district encompassing Tulsa. The solidly Republican district is represented by Rep. Kevin Hern, who intends to run for the U.S. Senate seat left open by Markwayne Mullin's appointment as secretary of Homeland Security, with GOP leadership support. Hern's move has created the opportunity Lahmeyer is pursuing for the Republican nomination. Lahmeyer first gained national attention during the COVID-19 pandemic by offering to sign religious vaccine exemption forms for a $1 church donation. In 2022, he challenged Sen. James Lankford in the Republican primary, securing 26 percent of the vote despite heavy spending on celebrity endorsers like Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, and Sebastian Gorka. He received no endorsement from Donald Trump despite efforts, including flying a banner over Mar-a-Lago. Following that campaign, Lahmeyer founded Pastors for Trump to mobilize evangelical support for Trump's 2024 election. The group hosted prayer calls featuring Flynn, Stone, Giuliani, and an attempted call from Trump. Sheridan Church has hosted events with Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, Lara Trump, Kash Patel, Alina Habba, Roger Stone, Riley Gaines, and Tim Tebow. In his announcement video, Lahmeyer highlighted appearances on shows like Steve Bannon’s War Room and photos with Trump family members. He stated that 'President Trump needs a few more bold America-first fighters in Washington, D.C., to help move his agenda forward.' Key issues include securing borders, cracking down on crime, reducing taxes and regulations for affordability, preventing Chinese citizens from owning U.S. farmland, and blocking Sharia law. Social media amplification has come from Giuliani, Flynn, and Rep. Matt Gaetz. Lahmeyer faces state-level politicians with governance experience in the race for the nomination.
