On right: Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa) files to run for reelection in House District 77 on Thursday, April 2, 2026. (Tres Savage)
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Rep. John Waldron confirmed Thursday that he resigned as chairman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party in December two months after meeting with a potential candidate for office and then using an AI tool to animate their photos into a fictional depiction of him making out with the young woman.
Waldron’s revelation comes after months of rumor, at least two tense meetings of the House Democratic Caucus and a temporary caucus suspension that is set to end Monday.
“I was under enormous personal stress. I made a mistake, which I instantly regretted. I’ve accepted every consequence that was asked of me, and I’ve done a lot of personal work. I’m still deeply regretful for making that decision,” Waldron (D-Tulsa) said Thursday. “I had a bad day. That’s what happened.”
Exactly what happened has remained unclear to many House Democrats, some of whom pushed for Waldron, 57, to resign from the Legislature in addition to stepping down as state party chairman.
“There was a complaint, and on that basis, I withdrew from the Oklahoma Democratic Party (chairmanship). There was a request for confidentiality, which I have respected,” Waldron said. “There’s more to the story, and it has to do with larger political forces.”
Waldron called the situation a “misunderstanding” and “a foolish mistake on my part.” He claimed he did not mean to send the woman the AI-generated GIF he had made showing the two of them kissing.
“The short version is, I accepted responsibility, accepted all consequences, and I’m looking forward to moving forward,” Waldron said. “I, of course, apologized, immediately accepted consequences, took measures to become a better human being, and I think I’ve learned a lot from the process.”
Last week, Waldron filed for reelection in pursuit of a fifth term representing House District 77 in Tulsa, and he drew a challenger for the first time since he was initially elected in 2018: fellow Democrat Kristina Gabriel, a public health professional and Cherokee Nation citizen.
House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson said Waldron will not be receiving Democratic Caucus support ahead of the June 16 primary election.
“I want to make it very clear that Rep. Waldron was asked multiple times by caucus leadership to step down and not seek reelection,” Munson (D-OKC) said in a statement Friday. “He was told should he seek reelection, he would not receive caucus support. Rep. Waldron has decided, on his own regard, to seek reelection.”
The situation rocked Oklahoma’s House Democratic Caucus in February, with representatives discussing how past allegations of sexual misconduct involving male caucus members had or had not been handled.
“I take all allegations of misconduct seriously, and I took swift action in contacting and working alongside the victim to hold Rep. Waldron accountable,” Munson said. “Victims deserve privacy, justice and accountability, and every decision made regarding this situation prioritized that. Nothing was done without consulting the person affected by this abhorrent behavior. My goal as a leader, and as a woman, is to continue to hold everyone up to the same standard and stand for all victims’ privacy, dignity and safety.”
NonDoc does not possess the GIF in question or know the identity of the woman who received it from Waldron, but a spokeswoman for Munson said a message was relayed to the woman about this article’s pending publication.
Waldron’s own confirmation of details combined with descriptions provided by someone who has seen the GIF indicate that an AI tool morphed multiple selfies into a video of Waldron and the woman kissing, replete with smooching and sighing sound effects.
While Waldron did not resign from House District 77, some of his Democratic colleagues believe he should not be seeking another term.
“I did encourage Rep. Waldron not to run for reelection,” said Rep. Amanda Clinton (D-Tulsa). “I feel like he’s lost the right to represent women.”
Waldron: ‘Larger story’ involves prior AI deep-fake
Oklahoma District 77 Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa) speaks to media Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Sasha Ndisabiye)
Days before he defeated multi-term incumbent Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairwoman Alicia Andrews last summer at the ODP convention, Waldron was falsely accused of making racially inflammatory statements about Andrews, who is Black. A purported recording of Waldron disparaging Andrews and Black Tulsans was reported by the Black Wall Street Times, but the publication retracted its article after realizing it was a deep-fake AI creation.
Asked Thursday about that situation, Waldron said the matter has been under criminal investigation. Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler confirmed that “a referral has been made to law enforcement.”
Waldron, a former history teacher at Booker T. Washington High School, suggested the investigation of that situation has caused rumors about his own AI-generated creation to linger this legislative session.
“The longer conversation is that the reason the story has been perpetuated and has such legs is that it’s connected to the deep-fake attack on me. And that’s the larger story,” Waldron said. “I did stir up some resistance, some enemies inside the party. And I think there is a much larger story there. I’d like to compose myself and give you that story. And that story may not play out yet for a few more weeks.”
But after messaging early Friday morning to confirm a follow-up interview, Waldron ultimately said he needed “to put off the call” and stick with his original remarks from Thursday.
Those remarks landed poorly with Erin Brewer, who became chairwoman of the Oklahoma Democratic Party after Waldron’s resignation from that post.
“Rep. John Waldron engaged in unforgivable behavior. As a result, the Oklahoma Democratic Party immediately forced his resignation as chairman,” Brewer said in a statement Friday. “Victims of sexual harassment and assault have our unwavering support. We made a promise to protect the victim’s privacy and have kept our word. Oklahoma Democrats unapologetically stand for respect, equality, and accountability. We firmly uphold these values, regardless of power or position.”
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Tres Savage
Tres Savage (William W. Savage III) has served as editor in chief of NonDoc since the publication launched in 2015. He holds a journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and worked in health care for six years before returning to the media industry. He is a nationally certified Mental Health First Aid instructor and serves on the board of the Oklahoma Media Center.
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