Oklahoma state Rep. Mark Tedford (R) is projected to win the state's 1st Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ, keeping the seat in Republican hands after Rep. Kevin Hern vacated it to run for the Senate.
With 90% of the vote counted, Tedford led Democrat John Croisant by a margin of 52.3% to 47.7% as of late Tuesday night. The district, anchored in Tulsa, has been a Republican stronghold since 1987 and backed former President Trump in all three of his presidential runs.
Tedford, who positioned himself as the establishment conservative in the race, had the backing of Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall and the three Tulsa County commissioners. His campaign focused on strict immigration enforcement, cutting inflationary spending, eliminating federal waste and fraud, and policies aimed at reviving the American economy, according to his campaign website.
The race drew national attention after Trump initially endorsed Tulsa pastor Jackson Lahmeyer, a close ally of the Trump family who had hosted some of them at his church. But Lahmeyer dropped out of the primary after the Daily Mail published intimate text messages between him and a woman who was not his wife, in which he called her “cute” and invited her to his hotel room.
Lahmeyer called the messages “carefully cherry-picked to create an impression that is not accurate” on Facebook, but he exited the race as Trump rescinded his endorsement. The former president then threw his support behind Tedford, writing on Truth Social: “I greatly appreciate Jackson Lahmeyer’s hard work under difficult circumstances — He has always been with me, and I will always be with him. But, when it comes to the current Congressional race for Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District, I will be supporting America First Patriot, Mark Tedford.”
Tedford’s victory ensures the GOP retains a seat that has been reliably Republican for decades. His win comes amid a broader political landscape where Democrats have made gains in some gubernatorial races, but Oklahoma remains a deeply red state.
The seat was left open when Hern decided to run for the Senate seat previously held by Markwayne Mullin, who became Homeland Security Secretary. Hern’s move triggered a competitive primary that ultimately settled on Tedford as the nominee.
With Tedford’s projected win, the GOP continues its dominance in Oklahoma’s congressional delegation. His campaign’s emphasis on economic and border security issues resonated with the district’s conservative electorate, even as Croisant, a first-time candidate, mounted a credible challenge.
Political analysts note that while the district’s Republican lean made Tedford the favorite, the margin was closer than in recent cycles, reflecting shifting voter dynamics. Still, Tedford is set to take office and join the House Republican conference, where he is expected to align with the party’s conservative wing.
