Dusty Deevers
Member of the Oklahoma Senate
from the 32nd district
Assumed office
December 20, 2023
Preceded byJohn Montgomery
Personal details
BornElgin, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
EducationOklahoma City University
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Dusty Deevers is an American politician and pastor who has served as a member of the Oklahoma Senate since December 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party.

Early life and education

Dusty Deevers was born and raised in Elgin, Oklahoma.[1] He graduated from Oklahoma City University in 2001 and the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008.[2]

Career

He previously ran the Elgin pharmacy.[1] Since 2016, he has served as the pastor for the Community Church of Elgin.[3] He is also the CEO of Deevers Properties.[4] In 2020, his home caught fire while he was out of town, destroying most of his possessions.[5] In 2021, Oklahoma Watch reported on Deevers's anti-vaccine rhetoric, including comparing vaccine mandates to the Nuremberg laws.[6]

Southern Baptist Conference

In June 2023, Deevers campaigned to be the vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention and received 20% of the vote, losing to Jay Adkins.[7] Deevers criticized SBC President Bart Barber's hiring of Brent Leatherwood from the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission as the SBC chief ethicist.[8][9] Barber received criticism for donating to Deevers's opponent, Jean Hausheer, during his 2023 primary election.[10]

Oklahoma Senate

Deevers filed for the special election to fill John Montgomery's seat in the Oklahoma Senate after Montgomery resigned to serve as the president of the Lawton Chamber of Commerce. He faced Jennifer Ellis, JJ Francais, and Jean Hausheer in the Republican primary.[11] During the primary, Deevers was targeted by negative ads from a "dark money" political action committee.[12] He won the primary with 37% of the vote.[lower-alpha 1] He won the general election on December 12, 2023, defeating the Democratic nominee former University of Oklahoma football player Larry Bush.[13] The Oklahoman described his campaign as focusing on culture war issues.[14] He was sworn in on December 20, 2023.[15]

Political positions

Deevers self-identifies as a "abortion abolitionist," meaning he does not support abortion under any circumstance, and a "constitutional conservative."[11][16] Baptist News Global has described him as an "ultra-conservative Baptist pastor".[2] He also advocates banning pornography and ending no-fault divorce.[11][17]

Electoral history

2023 Southern Baptist Conference Vice President election[7]
Candidate Votes  %
Jay Adkins 2,393 63.27
Dusty Deevers 784 20.73
Gevan Spinney 587 15.52
Total votes 3,764
2023 Oklahoma's 32nd Senate district special Republican primary[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dusty Deevers 1,416 37.07
Republican Jean Hausheer 1,177 30.81
Republican JJ Francais 725 18.98
Republican Jennifer Ellis 502 13.14
Total votes 3,820 100.0
2023 Oklahoma's 32nd Senate district special election[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dusty Deevers 3,104 55.48
Democratic Larry Bush 2,491 44.52
Total votes 5,595 100.0
Republican hold

Notes

  1. ↑ Oklahoma law requires a candidate to receive a majority to win a party's nomination, except in special elections were the first round plurality winner gets the nomination.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 Marsicano, Seth (29 September 2023). "Senate District 32 Preview: Dusty Deevers". KSWO-TV. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 Wingfield, Mark (16 October 2023). "Abortion abolitionist pastor running for state Senate in Oklahoma". Baptist News Global. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  3. ↑ McConnell, Kim (8 October 2023). "Dusty Deevers, Republican". The Lawton Constitution. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 Patterson, Matt (11 October 2023). "Larry Bush, Dusty Deevers advance to SD 32 general election". NonDoc. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  5. ↑ Cole, Cheyenne (17 November 2020). "Elgin family loses home in fire". KSWO-TV. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Brown, Trevor (December 21, 2021). "As some Oklahoma churches push vaccines, others sow misinformation, doubt". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma Watch. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  7. 1 2 Cockes, Timothy (14 June 2023). "Barber leads slate of officers elected at SBC annual meeting | Baptist Press". Baptist Press. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Jackson, Jesse T. (15 September 2022). "SBC President Defends Hiring of New ERLC President, Calls SBC Pastor's Comments a 'Faustian Bargain With the Devil of Politics'". Church Leaders. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Camp, Ken (19 September 2022). "ERLC president says he won't tell Christians how to vote". Baptist Standard. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  10. ↑ Chamberlain, Dale (13 November 2023). "SBC President Bart Barber Under Fire for Donating to Opponent of SBC Pastor in Oklahoma State Senate Race". ChurchLeaders. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Patterson, Matt (25 September 2023). "Cheat sheet: Four compete in SD 32 Republican primary". NonDoc. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  12. ↑ Adcock, Clifton (October 23, 2023). "A phantom attack ad group surfaces again in an Oklahoma election". The Frontier. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  13. ↑ Gowins, Max (12 December 2023). "Special Election Results: Oklahoma Legislature". Decision Desk HQ. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  14. ↑ Carter, M. Scott (December 12, 2023). "Republican Dusty Deevers wins Lawton state senate seat in Tuesday election". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  15. ↑ Forman, Carmen (December 21, 2023). "Lawton-area state senator Dusty Deevers sworn in after special election victory". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
  16. ↑ Stecklein, Janelle (December 7, 2023). "Election 2023: Meet the candidates for Oklahoma Senate District 32". The Oklahoman. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  17. ↑ Patterson, Matt (21 November 2023). "Dusty Deevers, Larry Bush outline competing priorities in SD 32 special election". NonDoc. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "For State Senator District 32 (Unexpired Term)". OK Election Results. Oklahoma State Election Board. October 10, 2023.
  19. ↑ "For State Senator District 32 (Unexpired Term)". OK Election Results. Oklahoma State Election Board. December 12, 2023.
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