Dusty Deevers is an American politician and pastor who has served as a member of the
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.Republican Party
Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party.
Republican Party may also refer to:
Africa
*Republican Party (Liberia)
* Republican Part ...
.
Early life and education
Dusty Deevers was born and raised in
Elgin, Oklahoma
Elgin is a city in northeastern Comanche County, Oklahoma, Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,156 at the 2010 census, a 78 percent increase from 1,210 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton met ...
He previously ran the Elgin pharmacy. Since 2016, he has served as the pastor for Grace Reformed Baptist Church of Elgin. 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. In 2021, ''
Oklahoma Watch
Oklahoma Watch is a non-profit reporting project focused on public policy journalism in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Established in 2010 by former ''Tulsa World'' reporter Tom Lindley, and supported with an initial seed investment from the Knight F ...
'' reported on Deevers's anti-vaccine rhetoric, including comparing vaccine mandates to the Nuremberg laws. As a leader and speaker recognized nationally in the Abolitionist Movement, he produced the first abortion abolitionist documentary A Storm Comes Rolling Down the Plain ' and serves as the VP of Rescue Those '.
Southern Baptist Conference
In June 2023, Deevers was nominated to be the vice-president of the
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist denomination, and the largest Protestant and second-largest Christian denomination in the United States. The wor ...
and received 20% of the vote, losing to Jay Adkins. Deevers criticized SBC President Bart Barber's hiring of Brent Leatherwood from the
Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission
The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) is the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, the second-largest Christian denomination in the United States, with over 16 million members in over 43,000 independent churches. Pr ...
as the SBC chief ethicist. Barber received criticism for donating to Deevers's opponent, Jean Hausheer, during his 2023 primary election.
Oklahoma Senate
Deevers filed for the special election to fill John Montgomery's seat in the
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution.Republican primary. During the primary, Deevers was targeted by negative ads from a "dark money" political action committee. He won the primary with 37% of the vote. He won the general election on December 12, 2023, defeating the
Democratic
Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to:
Politics
*A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people.
*A member of a Democratic Party:
**Democratic Party (United States) (D)
**Democratic ...
nominee, former University of Oklahoma football player Larry Bush. '' The Oklahoman'' described his campaign as focusing on culture war issues. He was sworn in on December 20, 2023.
In 2024, he authored a bill, cosponsored by Senator
Warren Hamilton
Warren Hamilton is an American politician and retired military officer serving as a member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 7th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 5, 2021.
Early life and education
Hamilton was rai ...
, "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
Abortion
Deevers self-identifies as a "abortion abolitionist," meaning he does not support abortion under any circumstance, and a "constitutional conservative." '' Baptist News Global'' has described him as an " ultra-conservative Baptist pastor". He has been described by '' Rolling Stone'' as a Christian nationalist and as
far-right
Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
by the ''Oklahoma Voice''. Deevers and Senator
Warren Hamilton
Warren Hamilton is an American politician and retired military officer serving as a member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 7th district. Elected in November 2020, he assumed office on January 5, 2021.
Early life and education
Hamilton was rai ...
"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.
He also advocates ending no-fault divorce.
Porn ban proposal
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.
Deever's proposal received national attention with the '' Rolling Stone'' describing it as "extreme — even for a Christian nationalist." On January 29, 2024, the proposal was mocked during
Jimmy Fallon
James Thomas Fallon (born September 19, 1974) is an American comedian, television host, actor, and writer. He is known for his work in television as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' and as the host of the late-night talk show ''The Ton ...