David_R._Hopkins
David R. Hopkins
American politician.
David R. Hopkins (May 24, 1938 – December 16, 2017) was an American engineer, businessman, and Republican politician. He served two years in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Chippewa County.
David R. Hopkins | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 67th district | |
| In office January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Steven C. Brist |
| Succeeded by | Peggy Rosenzweig |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1938-05-24)May 24, 1938 Belmont, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | December 16, 2017(2017-12-16) (aged 79) St. Augustine, Florida |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Gloria Ann Burris
(m. 1962–2017) |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | University of Massachusetts (B.S.) |
Born in Belmont, Massachusetts, Hopkins graduated from Belmont High School and went on to the University of Massachusetts, where he earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.[1] His work as an engineer brought him to Wisconsin, where he was employed first at Johnson Plastics Machinery, and then co-founded Extrusion Dies, Inc.[2]
He became involved with the Republican Party of Wisconsin and was an officer in The Conservative Caucus.[1] In 1978, he ran what was considered to be a longshot campaign for Wisconsin State Assembly, challenging incumbent Democrat Steven C. Brist.[3] He won a narrow 317 vote victory in the general election, taking 51% of the vote.[4] He went on to win reelection in 1980, but was defeated in a rematch with Brist in 1982, after the implementation of a court-ordered redistricting plan.[5][6]
Shortly after the 1982 election, he relocated to Florida with his family and founded Complex, Inc., in St. Augustine, Florida. He remained there for the rest of his life.[7]
Hopkins married Gloria Ann Burris in 1962. They had three children together.[1][7]
David R. Hopkins died in St. Augustine in December 2017.[7]
Wisconsin Assembly, 67th district (1978, 1980)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 7, 1978 | |||||
| Republican | David R. Hopkins | 6,335 | 51.28% | +21.29% | |
| Democratic | Steven C. Brist (incumbent) | 6,018 | 48.72% | ||
| Plurality | 317 | 2.57% | -37.44% | ||
| Total votes | 12,353 | 100.0% | -29.91% | ||
| Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | 42.57% | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 4, 1980 | |||||
| Republican | David R. Hopkins (incumbent) | 11,716 | 59.44% | +8.16% | |
| Democratic | Howard L. Olson | 7,995 | 40.56% | ||
| Plurality | 3,721 | 18.88% | +16.31% | ||
| Total votes | 19,711 | 100.0% | +59.56% | ||
| Republican hold | |||||
Wisconsin Assembly, 55th district (1982)
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Election, November 2, 1982 | |||||
| Democratic | Steven C. Brist | 7,365 | 51.96% | ||
| Republican | David R. Hopkins | 6,809 | 48.04% | ||
| Plurality | 556 | 3.92% | |||
| Total votes | 14,174 | 100.0% | -6.51% | ||
| Democratic gain from Republican | |||||
- "Hopkins, David R. 1938". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- "Eagle Point man to make run for Assembly". Chippewa Herald-Telegram. June 1, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- "Hopkins beats Brist in 67th district". Eau Claire Leader-Telegram. November 8, 1978. p. 2. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
- Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1979). "Elections" (PDF). In Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). The state of Wisconsin 1979-1980 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 907, 925. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- Wisconsin State AFL-CIO v. Elections Board, 543 F. Supp. 630 (E.D. Wis. June 9, 1982).
- Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1983). "Elections" (PDF). In Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). The state of Wisconsin 1983-1984 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 890, 911. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- "David R. Hopkins". The St. Augustine Record. December 22, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2021 – via Legacy.com.
- Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau (1981). "Elections" (PDF). In Theobald, H. Rupert; Robbins, Patricia V. (eds.). The state of Wisconsin 1981-1982 Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. pp. 895, 916. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
| Wisconsin State Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 67th district January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 |
Succeeded by |