CD1 GOP candidate: don't defund Planned Parenthood, they stop more abortions than they provide

Danny Stockstill, one of the Republicans vying to replace Jim Bridenstine in the 1st Congressional District, recently gave an interview to Barry Friedman of TheTulsaVoice.com (the same writer that State Rep. Carol Bush opened up to in December). In it, the Southern Baptist pastor made several remarks that GOP primary voters might be interested in seeing.

Friedman: I heard you worked with Planned Parenthood? True?
Stockstill: I tried to. I know there is nothing I can do about the decision to have the child or the abortion, but I wanted them to know that we will support them. I’d drive by and see people protesting every day, and I thought, “How in the world is that helping us as a society, us in Christian faith, women at all?”
Friedman: The ones protesting or the ones getting abortions?
Stockstill: The protestors. And I realized it’s not. When I first came to Brookside Baptist Church in June 2011, it was the first phone call I made. And it didn’t go over well. I don’t know why they didn’t think a Southern Baptist pastor would have good intentions. (Laughs) We’re always such good partners with everyone we disagree with.
[...]
Friedman: Will you stand up in a debate and say, “I am a Baptist minister. I’m against abortion, but I’m against defunding Planned Parenthood, considering the work they do with preventative care, cancer screenings, family planning, contraceptives, etc.”?
Stockstill: I’ve said that out loud. I know that if I defund Planned Parenthood, abortion rates are going to skyrocket because they’re stopping more abortions than they’re providing.

Elsewhere in the interview, Stockstill borders on the theological heresy of universalism, and lands jabs at Congressman Jim Bridenstine and KFAQ's Pat Campbell as well.

In another article on TheTulsaVoice.com, Tatiana Ryckman wrote this about Stockstill: "When he first started at Brookside, he told me, one of the first calls he made was to Planned Parenthood to ask how they could work together."


That this man is a Southern Baptist pastor is an embarrassment to this member of a Southern Baptist church. While individual congregations are autonomous, the Southern Baptist Convention has passed a plethora of resolutions against abortion and Planned Parenthood in particular, and the current Baptist Faith & Message itself states "We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death," as well as "Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritage from the Lord." For a Southern Baptist pastor to brag about working with Planned Parenthood and praise the murderous organization for "they’re stopping more abortions than they’re providing" (which is a farce) is simply beyond the pale, and the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma should look into the matter.

Republican primary voters should vehemently reject the candidacy of Danny Stockstill on the basis of his coziness with and support of Planned Parenthood, which per year kills over 300,000 babies nationwide and over 5,000 here in Oklahoma.

Coleman calls for 5 debates in CD1 GOP Primary

Coleman Encourages a Series of Five Debates Prior to the June U.S. House Primary

TULSA, OKLAHOMA:  Captain Andy Coleman today issued a call for all Republican candidates running for the GOP nomination in the First District U.S. House race to join him for a series of public debates in advance of the June primary.

Coleman is the first candidate in the race to publicly call for debates and encouraged his fellow Republicans to join him for debates around the First District.

“In order to drain the swamp in Washington, we need elected officials who are accountable and willing to answer the tough questions. I believe that if we expect voters to put their confidence in us, we should look them in the eye and answer the hard questions,” stated Coleman.

Coleman encouraged media and civic organizations to sponsor a series of at least five debates.  “Candidate forums are helpful, but debates are even more so.  With multiple candidate schedules to coordinate, it is important this process begin early.  Several organizations are already considering holding debates, and I’m grateful for their efforts.  I’m hopeful my fellow candidates will join me in participating in as many debates as possible,” added Coleman.

Captain Andy Coleman is seeking the Republican nomination for the open congressional seat in Oklahoma’s First District.  He is an Air Force Academy graduate and former intelligence officer who served in the Middle East.  He is the only candidate in the race with military, national security and experience working in the Muslim world – critical skill sets in short supply in the U.S. Congress. For six years, Coleman led extensive field efforts in some of the world’s most hostile countries to aid persecuted Christians as the the Middle East Regional Director for the Voice of the Martyrs, a Christian ministry based in Bartlesville. 

Danny Stockstill joins 1st Congressional District race

TULSA POLICE CHAPLAIN STOCKSTILL TO RUN FOR US CONGRESS 

Broken Arrow native Danny Stockstill will announce his run for Jim Bridenstine’s Congressional 

seat Saturday morning before the Rooster Days Parade.

TULSA, Oklahoma -- Tulsa police chaplain, small business owner and pastor Danny Stockstill will return to his hometown of Broken Arrow on Saturday morning to make it official: He’s running to represent Oklahoma’s 1st Congressional District in Washington, D.C. The district includes Washington, Tulsa and Wagoner counties and parts of Creek and Rogers counties.

“Sarah and I have two kids, Cobin and Brinlee, and they’re the reason I’m running,” Stockstill said. “Oklahoma kids need Oklahoma futures.”

Stockstill is expected to announce his candidacy at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 13 at The Main Place, 1800 S. Main Place in Broken Arrow. There, he’ll invite supporters to join him and his family at 10 a.m. as they march through the Rose District in the annual Rooster Days Parade.

The parade will begin on the south side of the intersection of South College and East Main streets and will continue south down Main Street to the front gates of Rooster Days.

Broken Arrow residents might remember the Stockstill name. Stockstill is the third of four children raised by Broken Arrow educators John and Penny Stockstill. He played football and baseball at Broken Arrow High School in the 1990s and was an All-State wrestler who won a wrestling scholarship to Central Missouri State University.

These days, Stockstill is the lead pastor at Brookside Baptist Church in Tulsa and owns two small Tulsa businesses. Grade Power Learning is a franchised learning center that tutors pre-K through college students. Philosophy: A Modern Academy builds on public and private education and offers flexible scheduling for students with specific educational needs.

Stockstill volunteers as a chaplain to first responders and the public and has been a bellwether in improving local police and race relations. He is vice president of the Brookside Business Association and a member of the Tulsa County Men’s Republican Club.

“There’s one thing I know about Republicans and Democrats, and I learned it from the friends I’ve made in third-world countries,” Stockstill said. “They taught me that people really aren’t that different. When our basic needs are met, peace and mutual respect become the norms. I wonder what we could accomplish if peace and mutual respect were the norms in Congress?”

Stockstill said a vote for him means a step toward overcoming “aisle intolerance” that has led to Capitol Hill standstills.

“I was in the car with my son listening to talk radio one morning, and the host was naming off all the people running for Bridenstine’s seat,” Stockstill said. “Then he said, ‘… and some other guy, but I can’t remember his name.’ I’m pretty sure he was talking about me. Maybe that’s how people can remember my name: “Less standstill, more Stockstill.”

For more information, visit www.stockstillforcongress.com.


Stockstill joins a wide field, with Republicans Andy Coleman, Nathan Dahm, Tim Harris, Kevin Hern, and Scott Pendleton already in the race (update: Pendleton dropped out in April and endorsed Kevin Hern).

Crowded field looks to succeed Jim Bridenstine

With 1st District Congressman Jim Bridenstine keeping his term-limits pledge (*cough*, got that, Congressman Mullin?) and not seeking a fourth term, the race to succeed him is beginning to heat up. Already, four candidates have filed committees with the Federal Election Commission.

Candidates so far as:

• Andy Coleman
• Kevin Hern 
• Scott Pendleton
• Danny Stockstill

Coleman announced his candidacy on January 13th, Pendleton filed with the FEC on January 19th, Stockstill filed with the FEC on February 10th, while Hern made his campaign official on March 9th.

Here's a brief background on the candidates:

Andy Coleman served in the U.S. Air Force (with a tour in Iraq), practiced law, and most recently worked at Voice of the Martyrs, an interdenominational ministry serving persecuted Christians across the globe.

Kevin Hern is a businessman who got his start in Muskogee, buying two McDonald's franchises in the late 90's, which turned into a larger organization of 10 McDonald's restaurants that employ over 450 people in the Tulsa area.

Scott Pendleton is a tech businessman who previously was a journalist, including several years reporting overseas in the Middle East and North Africa.

Danny Stockstill has a very rudimentary website up, with the only information available being a donate page. He is the pastor of Brookside Baptist Church in Tulsa.

Of the candidates so far, Hern is the prohibitive favorite. Coleman and Pendleton might also be considered serious candidates, but since no fundraising reports have been filed yet by the candidates, it's a little hard to get a feel for how competitive they will be able to be.