This Pastor Invited D.C. Republicans to Oklahoma. Now He’s Running for Congress

Jackson Lahmeyer, an Oklahoma pastor who has hosted the Trump family and allies for political events at his churches, is running for Congress.

Lahmeyer, the founder of “Pastors for Trump,” announced on Tuesday at the Tulsa County Republican Party headquarters that he’s running in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District. Rep. Kevin Hern, who currently represents the district, is running for the vacant seat of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who was confirmed on Monday as the new secretary of homeland security.

Lahmeyer, a member of the National Faith Advisory Board who has worked “closely” with the White House Faith Office for the last year, said he aims to bring Oklahoma values to Washington and “advance the ‘America First’ agenda of President Trump.”

He also outlined some of his priorities in an announcement speech: border security, deporting undocumented immigrants, affordability, and “not allowing one inch of American farmland to be owned by the Chinese Communist Party.” He vowed to ensure “Sharia law never takes root in the United States of America.”

“I believe that career politicians, they happen to be the problem that our country is facing. So I’m running as a businessman, as a pastor, a husband, a father, an outsider, believing that the American people should be put above the interests of foreign nations or illegal immigrants,” Lahmeyer said in his announcement. He’s scheduled to host a launch event at Sheridan Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Tuesday evening.

Lahmeyer had teased a congressional run for several weeks before officially announcing, saying he would decide after he had meetings in Washington in early March. He even heavily teased his run on his church stage last Sunday and invited his congregation to his launch event.

“I legally can’t say what it is until we legally file legally on Tuesday, alright? So, I’m sure my lawyer is very excited about me saying all this right now,” Lahmeyer joked.

He posted a campaign teaser trailer last week and said recently that he was “looking to fill that opening” in Oklahoma’s 1st District.

“Pray for me. I’m about to jump into a pool full of sharks and alligators,” Lahmeyer told Newsmax, a conservative television channel he often appears on, about a bid for Congress.

Sheridan Church, led by Lahmeyer, has become a political hot spot for MAGA’s inner circle. Lahmeyer has held events featuring Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Lara Trump, now-FBI Director Kash Patel and Trump lawyer Alina Habba.

Lahmeyer is not new to politics. He ran an unsuccessful primary against Sen. James Lankford — also a Republican pastor — in 2022, garnering about 26% of the vote. Lahmeyer has backed Trump since 2015 and founded Pastors for Trump, a group focused on winning the evangelical Christian vote for Trump. Lahmeyer told NOTUS last year that he became close with the Trump family “a long time ago” on the campaign trail.

“They love Oklahoma. They get to come here and they don’t have to feel like they’re going to get attacked,” Lahmeyer said last year of the Trumps.

This year’s race for the 1st District is already filling up with Republicans, including Oklahoma state Rep. Mark Tedford, Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Kim David and veteran and attorney Jackson Stallings.

In a sign that Lahmeyer may attract national support, some notable conservative figures have flagged his entrance into the race.

This is going to be a campaign to watch,” former Rep. Matt Gaetz posted on X last week. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna indicated that she was paying attention to Lahmeyer’s campaign as well.

Rudy Giuliani, the former Republican mayor of New York City who has been featured at Lahmeyer’s church events before, called Lahmeyer a “man of integrity” after his launch.

“He will represent the people of Oklahoma faithfully!” Giuliani posted.