Republican Dusty Deevers wins Lawton Senate seat in special election

OKLAHOMA CITY — Comanche County residents on Tuesday elected a far-right conservative to fill a vacancy in the state Senate.

Republican Dusty Deevers defeated Democrat Larry Bush in a special election in Senate District 32, which includes part of Lawton.

Deevers clinched 55.5% of the vote compared to Bush’s 44.5%.

Deevers is a Christian pastor and businessman in Elgin. The first-time political candidate said he felt compelled to run for office after opposing mask mandates and business and church restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A constitutional conservative, Deevers has campaigned on abolishing abortion and vowed to support legislation that would allow prosecutors to charge women who undergo the procedure. Many anti-abortion Republicans in the GOP-led Legislature oppose changing state law to punish women for seeking an abortion.

An advocate for “traditional marriage,” Deevers has decried “LGBTQ indoctrination.” He opposes no-fault divorce and drag queen story hours and aims to abolish pornography.

Deevers said he plans to champion “biblical economic principles” of limited government, free market competition and lower taxes. He supports eliminating state income taxes and wants to reduce the 7% gross production tax oil and gas companies pay.

He also said he hopes to increase job opportunities and mental health resources for veterans.

Deevers succeeds former Sen. John Michael Montgomery, a moderate Republican, who resigned earlier this year to lead the Lawton Fort Sill Chamber of Commerce.

Bush owns his own insurance company and is a former University of Oklahoma football player. He’d previously mounted unsuccessful bids for state legislative seats.

Although the Lawton district leans Republican, Democrats hoped they could pick up a seat in the GOP-controlled Senate through a low-turnout election. One of Deevers’ GOP primary opponents also endorsed Bush leading up to the general election, giving Democrats optimism that more Republicans would cross party lines in the election.

Deevers will be sworn into office next week, according to a Senate spokesperson.

Since Deevers is filling an unexpired Senate term, he will be up for election again in 2026.

Edmond special election narrows the field of candidates

A special election in House District 39 in Edmond narrowed a crowded field of candidates down from 10 to three.

Republican Erick Harris, Democrat Regan Raff and Libertarian Richard Prawdzienski will face off in a Feb. 13 special general election.

Harris, who narrowly won the GOP nomination in the close race with 27% of the vote, is an attorney. He also serves on the Oklahoma Department of Corrections board.

Raff, who won the Democratic nomination with 82% of the vote, owns a bookkeeping business and co-owns a real estate company with her husband.

On the ballot Tuesday were seven Republicans and two Democrats. The state does not conduct runoff primaries during special elections.

The House District 39 seat was vacated by former state Rep. Ryan Martinez, who resigned after pleading guilty to a felony offense of being in physical control of a vehicle while intoxicated.