TULSA, Okla. — What began as a conventional Republican primary to replace U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern has quickly become something else entirely. With Tulsa pastor and former U.S. Senate candidate Jackson Lahmeyer officially entering the race this week, Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District is no longer a contest defined by experience alone. It is now a referendum on the direction of the Republican Party itself.
Lahmeyer’s entrance transforms a race that once centered on policy credentials and governing experience into a sharper ideological battle between establishment conservatives and movement-driven candidates aligned with President Donald Trump’s so-called America First agenda.
At his campaign launch Tuesday, Lahmeyer framed his candidacy around security, economic pressure, and national identity, pledging to “keep our borders secure” and “remove illegal criminals off of our streets” while making sure “American families can afford to live in America.” He also warned that “not a single inch of American farmland” should be owned by China and vowed to ensure “Sharia law never takes root in this nation.”
The June 16, 2026 Republican primary will determine who succeeds Hern, who is running for U.S. Senate after the seat opened amid broader political shifts tied to Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s move to serve as Secretary of Homeland Security.
A Race Rewritten Overnight by Jackson Lahmeyer
Before Jackson Lahmeyer’s announcement, the contest appeared to be narrowing into a two-person race between Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chair Kim David and State Rep. Mark Tedford, a Tulsa-area lawmaker with growing local support.
David, a former Oklahoma Senate Majority Leader, entered the race with the deepest bench of institutional support. Her tenure in state government and current role overseeing Oklahoma’s energy sector positioned her as the candidate of experience, regulatory knowledge, and donor confidence.
Tedford, meanwhile, brought a different kind of appeal. Representing a suburban Tulsa district, he has built credibility with local voters and aligned himself with a next-generation conservative message rooted in business-minded governance and community ties.
That dynamic suggested a familiar Republican primary: experience versus fresh leadership, both operating within the same governing framework.
Lahmeyer’s entry disrupts that framework. He has taken aim at career politicians, arguing they “have given us $39 trillion in debt” and are “not the answer” to the country’s problems.
Jackson Lahmeyer is a Movement Candidate With a Built-In Base
Unlike many first-time congressional candidates, Lahmeyer enters the race with an established political identity and network.
He is the founder of Pastors for Trump, a national coalition that blends evangelical organizing with political advocacy. He previously ran for U.S. Senate in 2022, earning roughly 26 percent of the vote in a Republican primary against incumbent Sen. James Lankford.
That showing did not translate into victory. But it demonstrated something just as important. Lahmeyer can mobilize a significant bloc of Republican voters, particularly those aligned with faith-based activism and Trump-era politics.
He has framed his candidacy in personal terms, saying “people matter,” adding that “politics matters because policy matters, and policy matters because people matter.”
He has also positioned himself as part of a broader political mission, arguing that Trump “needs a few more bold America First fighters in Washington” to advance his agenda.
Three Lanes, One Seat
With Jackson Lahmeyer now in the race, the Republican primary has effectively split into three distinct lanes.
The first is the establishment lane, represented by David. It is backed by long-standing political relationships, donor networks, and a track record of governance.
The second is the governing conservative lane, occupied by Tedford. It emphasizes local credibility, pragmatic policymaking, and continuity with the kind of leadership Hern represented.
The third is the insurgent lane, now clearly defined by Lahmeyer. It is rooted in ideological alignment with Trump, energized by evangelical networks, and driven by voters who see politics as a cultural and spiritual battleground as much as a legislative one.
The presence of these three lanes creates a new level of volatility in the race.
In a low-turnout primary, establishment candidates often benefit from reliable voters and organized support. In a higher-turnout environment, particularly one fueled by ideological energy, insurgent candidates can quickly gain ground.
Lahmeyer’s candidacy raises the likelihood of that second scenario. He has leaned into his outsider status, arguing his lack of political experience is an asset and saying he was “not looking to get involved politically” until “politics got involved with my life and my church.”
The Tulsa Factor
Geography still matters in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, and Tulsa remains the political center of gravity.
State Rep. Mark Tedford enters the race with a clear advantage among voters who prioritize local representation, anchored in his base in the Tulsa suburbs. Oklahoma Corporation Commission Chair Kim David, while not tied to a single district, benefits from statewide name recognition and deep connections to Tulsa’s business and energy sectors.
Jackson Lahmeyer, as a Tulsa pastor, is not an outsider to the region. But his strength lies less in geography and more in network mobilization. His campaign is likely to rely on churches, grassroots organizing, and ideological messaging rather than traditional political infrastructure.
That contrast could shape how each candidate approaches voter outreach in the months ahead.
A National Climate With Local Consequences
Lahmeyer’s candidacy is unfolding against a shifting national backdrop. President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have slipped in recent months, while Democrats have flipped seats in traditionally Republican states, including parts of Florida and Mississippi. That tension introduces new political risk, particularly for candidates closely aligned with Trump’s agenda.
Jackson Lahmeyer has leaned fully into that alignment, but his political history also reflects its limits. During his 2022 Senate run, Trump declined to endorse any candidate, leaving Lahmeyer without the backing he now appears poised to seek again. Those dynamics could ripple down-ballot. A crowded and potentially divisive GOP primary could create an opening in Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, long considered safely Republican.
Moreover, Democrats have fielded candidates like John Croisant, testing whether the district could become more competitive than expected, even as the path to victory remains steep.
What happens next in Oklahoma’s 1st District will not just determine who replaces Kevin Hern. It will signal what kind of Republican Party is taking shape and how far its base is willing to go to define it.