Republican Jackson Lahmeyer acknowledges he is the underdog in his race to unseat U.S. Senator James Lankford and has likened the campaign to a fight between David and Goliath.
“But I also know how this story ends,” the Tulsa pastor said during a Friday night rally in an Oklahoma City airport hangar.
Lahmeyer, making his first run for office, shared the stage with two former aides to Donald Trump, retired general Michael Flynn and campaign consultant Roger Stone, both of whom received full pardons from Trump after criminal convictions .
Lahmeyer has embraced Trump’s “America First” slogan and is hoping for an endorsement from the former president.
“American voters first,” Lahmeyer told the crowd on Friday. “American workers first. American energy first. And the American breeders first? »
Stone called Lankford “the epitome of a RINO (Republican in name only)” and said he “stabbed Donald Trump in the back on January 6 and offered certification of Joe’s election. Biden”.
Stone was referring to the fact that Lankford dropped his objection to certifying votes from the Arizona Electoral College after pro-Trump rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Lankford then said he could not “in good conscience” cast a vote that was in any way confirmation of the rioters’ intentions to block certification of the Electoral College votes.
Continued:A year later, the January 6 riot still reverberates in countless ways
Jackson Lahmeyer claims ‘grassroots’ support, criticizes Dr Anthony Fauci and Mitch McConnell
Lahmeyer has made the 2020 election a centerpiece of her campaign, siding with Trump’s claims that she was robbed. In his remarks at the rally, Lahmeyer also attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci, promised he would make it illegal for Chinese citizens to buy Oklahoma land and said he would support “a bag of chips” on Republican Senate Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.
After the rally, Lahmeyer told reporters he knew Lankford would exceed his campaign spending, but would work more than the incumbent senator. Lankford had nearly $3 million in his campaign account at the end of 2021, compared to $71,508 for Lahmeyer.
Lankford, first elected to the Senate in 2014, has already begun statewide television advertising ahead of the June 28 primary, an expense that is currently well out of reach for the Lahmeyer campaign.
Lahmeyer told reporters that the “base” had already chosen him and said of his rally that “no one in this state draws crowds like this.” Lahmeyer had a rally scheduled for Saturday night in Tulsa with Flynn and Stone.
Tables of rally merchandise included “Trump 2024” shirts and hats; “Truckers Freedom Convoy” shirts and “Let’s Go Brandon” shirts, a slogan intended as profanity aimed at President Joe Biden. Also speaking at the rally were a representative of a group that wants a ‘forensic audit’ of the 2020 election in Oklahoma and a member of a group for ‘health and parental rights’.
Continued:Oklahoma GOP Chairman John Bennett announces candidacy for Congress
Michael Flynn and Roger Stone attack Senator James Lankford at Jackson Lahmeyer rally
Stone and Flynn were more critical of Republicans than Democrats, with Stone stating, “Our problem today is gutless, inept, weak-kneed, lily-liver, white-wine country club Republicans. who don’t have the guts to stand up for America.
Stone attacked Lankford for not debating Lahmeyer.
“He insults every voter in the state of Oklahoma when he refuses to defend his record,” Stone said.
Lankford’s campaign declined to respond to specific criticism made at the rally on Saturday, but announced the endorsement of Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
Stone denied a Washington Post article published Friday that footage shot by a documentary film crew shows him communicating with people involved in organizing the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol.
Stone said the Lord went to see him in the shower on January 6 and told him “Don’t go anywhere today.”
He said, “I didn’t go to the Ellipse. I didn’t walk to the Capitol. I was not at the Capitol. I literally don’t know.
