Dusty Deevers

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Dusty Deevers

| image = Dusty Deevers.jpg

| birth_name =

| spouse =

| children =

| party = Republican

| birth_place = Elgin, Oklahoma, U.S.

| birth_date =

| education = Oklahoma City University
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

| state_senate = Oklahoma

| district = 32nd

| term_start = December 20, 2023

| term_end =

| predecessor = John Montgomery

| successor =

| succeeding =

}}

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. He graduated from Oklahoma City University in 2001 and the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2008.

Career

He previously ran the Elgin pharmacy.{{cite news |last1=Marsicano |first1=Seth |title=Senate District 32 Preview: Dusty Deevers |url=https://www.kswo.com/2023/09/29/senate-district-32-preview-dusty-deevers/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=KSWO-TV |date=29 September 2023 |language=en}} Since 2016, he has served as the pastor for Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Elgin.{{cite news |last1=Deevers |first1=Dusty |date=20 December 2023 |title=Dusty Deevers, Republican Senator |url=https://oksenate.gov/senators/dustydeevers |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Lawton Constitution |language=en}} He is also the CEO of Deevers Properties. In 2020, his home caught fire while he was out of town, destroying most of his possessions.{{cite news |last1=Cole |first1=Cheyenne |title=Elgin family loses home in fire |url=https://www.kswo.com/2020/11/16/elgin-family-loses-home-fire/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=KSWO-TV |date=17 November 2020 |language=en}} In 2021, Oklahoma Watch reported on Deevers's anti-vaccine rhetoric, including comparing vaccine mandates to the Nuremberg laws.{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Trevor |title=As some Oklahoma churches push vaccines, others sow misinformation, doubt |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2021/12/21/some-oklahoma-churches-push-vaccines-others-sow-misinformation/8974487002/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |agency=Oklahoma Watch |date=December 21, 2021}}

=Southern Baptist Conference=

In June 2023, Deevers was nominated to be the vice-president of the Southern Baptist Convention and received 20% of the vote, losing to Jay Adkins.{{cite news |last1=Cockes |first1=Timothy |title=Barber leads slate of officers elected at SBC annual meeting {{!}} Baptist Press |url=https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/barber-leads-slate-of-officers-elected-at-sbc-annual-meeting/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=Baptist Press |date=14 June 2023}} Deevers criticized SBC President Bart Barber's hiring of Brent Leatherwood from the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission as the SBC chief ethicist.{{cite news |last1=Jackson |first1=Jesse T. |title=SBC President Defends Hiring of New ERLC President, Calls SBC Pastor's Comments a 'Faustian Bargain With the Devil of Politics' |url=https://churchleaders.com/news/434176-sbc-president-defends-hiring-of-new-erlc-president.html |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=Church Leaders |date=15 September 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Camp |first1=Ken |title=ERLC president says he won’t tell Christians how to vote |url=https://www.baptiststandard.com/news/baptists/erlc-president-says-he-wont-tell-christians-how-to-vote/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=Baptist Standard |date=19 September 2022}}

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.{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=Cheat sheet: Four compete in SD 32 Republican primary |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/09/25/four-compete-in-sd-32-republican-primary/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=25 September 2023}} During the primary, Deevers was targeted by negative ads from a "dark money" political action committee.{{cite news |last1=Adcock |first1=Clifton |title=A phantom attack ad group surfaces again in an Oklahoma election |url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/a-phantom-attack-ad-group-surfaces-again-in-an-oklahoma-election/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Frontier |date=October 23, 2023}} He won the primary with 37% of the vote.{{efn|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.{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=Larry Bush, Dusty Deevers advance to SD 32 general election |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/10/10/larry-bush-dusty-deevers-advance-to-sd-32-general-election/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=11 October 2023}}}} He won the general election on December 12, 2023, defeating the Democratic nominee, former University of Oklahoma football player Larry Bush.{{cite news |last1=Gowins |first1=Max |title=Special Election Results: Oklahoma Legislature |url=https://decisiondeskhq.com/special-election-results-oklahoma-legislature/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=Decision Desk HQ |date=12 December 2023}} The Oklahoman described his campaign as focusing on culture war issues.{{cite news |last1=Carter |first1=M. Scott |title=Republican Dusty Deevers wins Lawton state senate seat in Tuesday election |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/government/2023/12/12/lawton-oklahoma-state-senate-election-dusty-deevers-defeats-larry-bush/71899240007/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=December 12, 2023}} He was sworn in on December 20, 2023.{{cite news |last1=Forman |first1=Carmen |title=Lawton-area state senator Dusty Deevers sworn in after special election victory |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/12/21/dusty-deevers-abortion-abolitionist-sworn-in-oklahoma-senate-lawton-ok/71999537007/ |access-date=26 December 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=December 21, 2023}}

In 2024, he authored a bill, cosponsored by Senator Warren Hamilton, "classifying abortion as homicide, which allows both doctors and mothers to be prosecuted." They could "face up to the death penalty if charged with first-degree murder, though the bill makes exceptions to save the life of the mother and for spontaneous miscarriages." It also "allows for wrongful death lawsuits on behalf of fetusus."

Political positions

Deevers has been described by Rolling Stone as a Christian nationalist and as far-right by the Oklahoma Voice.{{cite news |last1=Forman |first1=Carmen |title=Republican Dusty Deevers wins Lawton Senate seat in special election |url=https://oklahomavoice.com/briefs/republican-dusty-deevers-wins-lawton-senate-seat-in-special-election/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=Oklahoma Voice |date=December 12, 2023}} Baptist News Global described him as an "ultra-conservative Baptist pastor" in 2023.{{cite news |last1=Wingfield |first1=Mark |title=Abortion abolitionist pastor running for state Senate in Oklahoma |url=https://baptistnews.com/article/abortion-abolitionist-pastor-running-for-state-senate-in-oklahoma/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=Baptist News Global |date=16 October 2023}}

= Abortion =

Deevers self-identifies as an "abortion abolitionist," meaning he does not support abortion under any circumstance, and a "constitutional conservative."{{cite news |last1=Stecklein |first1=Janelle |title=Election 2023: Meet the candidates for Oklahoma Senate District 32 |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2023/12/07/comanche-county-oklahoma-elections-2023-senator-larry-bush-dusty-deevers/71830194007/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=The Oklahoman |date=December 7, 2023}} In 2024, he introduced a bill that would charge women getting abortions with murder.{{Cite news |last=Olivas |first=Kaylee |date=February 6, 2024 |title='Murderer': OK Senator files bill to punish woman getting an abortion, wants to ban contraception |url=https://kfor.com/news/oklahoma-legislature/ok-senator-files-bill-to-punish-woman-getting-an-abortion-wants-to-ban-contraception/ |access-date=January 27, 2025 |work=KFOR-TV}} Deevers and Senator Warren Hamilton "spoke in favor of stricter laws at a rally organized by the groups Abolitionists Rising and Abolish Abortion Oklahoma at the state Capitol in early February" of 2024.{{Cite web |last=Fife |first=Ari |date=February 23, 2024 |title=As more women leave Oklahoma to end pregnancies or order pills online, lawmakers seek tougher laws |url=https://www.readfrontier.org/stories/as-more-women-leave-oklahoma-to-end-pregnancies-or-order-pills-online-lawmakers-seek-tougher-laws/ |access-date=2024-02-23 |website=The Frontier |language=en-US}}

= Marriage =

In 2025, he authored SB 228, which sought to create the Covenant Marriage Act of Oklahoma, allowing Oklahomans (of either gender) to enter a covenant marriage, and also offered a $2,500 income-tax credit.{{cite news |last1=Aston |first1=Alexia |title=Three conservative bills by Sen. Dusty Deevers fail committee with bipartisan disapproval |url=https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2025/02/21/oklahoma-legislative-session-2025-dusty-deever-bills-fail-bipartisan/79307802007/ |work=The Oklahoman}}

Also in 2025, Deevers said that Obergefell v. Hodges is not settled law, saying "there is just no right to gay marriage in the Constitution ... no Supreme Court ruling that redefines a God-ordained institution is ever truly settled: not morally or culturally, and even constitutionally. The rogue court will stand in judgment before God for their decision."{{cite web |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=Anti-LGBTQ+ GOP legislator says gay marriage must be overturned because "God" |url=https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2025/04/anti-lgbtq-gop-legislator-says-gay-marriage-must-be-overturned-because-god/?utm_campaign=daily-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_edition=202504250100&utm_source=newsletter |access-date=29 April 2025 |website=LGBTQ Nation |date=25 April 2025}}

Deevers advocates ending no-fault divorce.{{cite news |last1=Patterson |first1=Matt |title=Dusty Deevers, Larry Bush outline competing priorities in SD 32 special election |url=https://nondoc.com/2023/11/21/dusty-deevers-larry-bush-outline-competing-priorities-in-sd-32-special-election/ |access-date=13 December 2023 |work=NonDoc |date=21 November 2023}} In 2025, he authored SB 829, a bill to aiming prohibit no-fault divorce in Oklahoma.

=Pornography=

In 2024, Deevers put forth a bill to ban all pornography involving sexual acts, nudity, partial nudity, or any content that appeals to a sexual fetish, such as BDSM; with the only exception being for married spouses sending sexual images to each other. Anyone who buys, views, procures, or possesses porn would be punished by up to 20 years in prison; while anyone who poses for or otherwise assists or offers to assist in the production and distribution of said porn would be punished with a year in prison.{{Cite news |first=Elizabeth |last=Nolan Brown |date=January 22, 2024 |url=https://reason.com/2024/01/22/oklahoma-bill-would-ban-sending-sexy-selfies-unless-youre-married/ |work=Reason |title=Oklahoma Bill Would Ban Sending Sexy Selfies Unless You're Married |access-date=4 February 2024}} Deever's proposal received national attention, with Rolling Stone describing it as "extreme — even for a Christian nationalist."{{cite news |last1=Dickinson |first1=Tim |title=This Lawmaker Wants to Jail People for Watching Porn |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/dusty-deevers-lawmaker-jail-people-watching-porn-1234959499/ |access-date=4 February 2024 |work=Rolling Stone |date=2 February 2024}}

A year later, Deevers again introduced a bill to criminalize the production and distribution of pornography, with a prison sentence of 10–30 years for "organized pornography trafficking." The bill also criminalizes drag performances.{{Cite news |last=Cole |first=Sam |date=January 27, 2024 |title=Oklahoma Senator Introduces Bill to Make Porn Completely Illegal |url=https://www.404media.co/oklahoma-senator-dusty-deevers-porn-bill/ |access-date=January 27, 2024 |work=404 Media}}

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no party no change| title= 2023 Southern Baptist Conference Vice President election}}

{{Election box winning candidate no party no change

|candidate = Jay Adkins

|votes = 2,393

|percentage = 63.27

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate = Dusty Deevers

|votes = 784

|percentage = 20.73

}}

{{Election box candidate no party no change

|candidate = Gevan Spinney

|votes = 587

|percentage = 15.52

}}

{{Election box total no party no change

|votes = 3,764

|percentage =

}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Oklahoma's 32nd Senate district special Republican primary{{cite web |title=For State Senator District 32 (Unexpired Term) |url=https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20231010 |website=OK Election Results |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board |date=October 10, 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Dusty Deevers

|votes = 1,416

|percentage = 37.07

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jean Hausheer

|votes = 1,177

|percentage = 30.81

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = JJ Francais

|votes = 725

|percentage = 18.98

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Jennifer Ellis

|votes = 502

|percentage = 13.14

}}

{{Election box total no change

|votes = 3,820

|percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box begin no change| title= 2023 Oklahoma's 32nd Senate district special election{{cite web |title=For State Senator District 32 (Unexpired Term) |url=https://results.okelections.us/OKER/?elecDate=20231212 |website=OK Election Results |publisher=Oklahoma State Election Board |date=December 12, 2023}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Dusty Deevers

|votes = 3,104

|percentage = 55.48

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Larry Bush

|votes = 2,491

|percentage = 44.52

}}