Randy Hopper
Randy Hopper (Republican Party) was a member of the Wisconsin State Senate, representing District 18. Hopper assumed office in 2009. Hopper left office on August 9, 2011.
Hopper (Republican Party) ran in a special election to the Wisconsin State Senate to represent District 8. Hopper did not appear on the ballot for the special Republican primary on February 21, 2023.
Hopper was a Republican member of the Wisconsin State Senate. He represented District 18 from his election in 2008 to his recall on August 9, 2011. On August 9, 2011, Hopper was recalled. The remainder of his term will be served by Jessica King (D) until January 3, 2013.
Biography
Hopper is the owner of Mountain Dog Media, a company that owns prominent radio stations in the South Fox Valley region including KFIZ-AM 1450 and 107.1 KFIZ-FM.
Hopper earned a B.A. in history from Denison University in 1989. He received his M.B.A. from Kellogg Business School, Northwestern University, in 2002.
District
The 18th State Senate District consists of major cities of Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, and Waupun.
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Hopper served on these committees:
- Economic Development and Veterans and Military Affairs, Chair
- Education
- Energy, Biotechnology, and Consumer Protection
- Finance
- Joint Committee on Finance
- Joint Committee on Tax Exemptions, Co-Chair
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Hopper served on these committees:
- Children and Families and Workforce Development Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Education Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Judiciary, Corrections, Insurance, Campaign Finance Reform, and Housing Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Small Business, Emergency Preparedness, Technical Colleges, and Consumer Protection Committee, Wisconsin Senate
- Joint Review Committee on Criminal Penalties
- Special Committee on Strategic Job Creation
Sponsored legislation
Recent legislation sponsored or co-sponsored by Sen. Hopper includes:[1]
- A bill excluding from taxable income gains from a Wisconsin business.[2]
- A bill to provide the public with more information about school district and state agency expenditures[3]
- A bill granting tax exemptions for businesses with worker wellness programs[4]
- A bill to limit the budget and decrease the deficit[5]
Elections
2023
See also: Wisconsin state legislative special elections, 2023
General election
Special general election for Wisconsin State Senate District 8
Daniel Knodl defeated Jodi Habush Sinykin in the special general election for Wisconsin State Senate District 8 on April 4, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Daniel Knodl (R) | 50.8 | 38,492 |
 | Jodi Habush Sinykin (D) | 49.1 | 37,200 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 59 | ||
| Total votes: 75,751 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 8
Jodi Habush Sinykin advanced from the special Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 8 on February 21, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Jodi Habush Sinykin | 99.9 | 17,670 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 17 | ||
| Total votes: 17,687 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 8
Daniel Knodl defeated Janel Brandtjen and Van Mobley in the special Republican primary for Wisconsin State Senate District 8 on February 21, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Daniel Knodl | 56.8 | 13,996 |
 | Janel Brandtjen | 27.9 | 6,870 | |
| Van Mobley | 15.2 | 3,743 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.1 | 25 | ||
| Total votes: 24,634 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Randy Hopper (R)
- Robert Albrightson (R)
2011 recall
Hopper lost to Jessica King in the recall election.
The Democratic Party of Wisconsin began a recall campaign targeting Hopper and 7 of his Republican colleagues in the Wisconsin State Senate in March 2011.[6][7] 23,946 signatures were filed with election officials,[8] and the Hopper campaign challenged them.[9]
On May 9, the Wisconsin Government Accountability Board verified 23,127 signatures, 15,269 were necessary to force a recall. Hopper challenged the petitions, citing missing paperwork as well as the possibility of hundreds of invalid signatures. The Board heard arguments on May 23[10] and rejected most of the challenges. The GAB officially certified the recall election on June 3. This cleared the way for a recall election to be held July 12.[11] However, since multiple candidates filed, a primary was held July 12 with the recall election on August 9.[12]
Opponents
Oshkosh attorney Jessica King announced on April 13 that she would run against Hopper in a recall.[13]
John Buckstaff, a Republican supporter, ran as a protest candidate in order to necessitate a Democratic primary between himself and King.[14] Hopper had said he would have preferred the recall election to happen as soon as possible.
| July 12 Democratic primary[15] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
Jessica King 
|
19,562 | 68.21% | ||
| John Buckstaff | 8,995 | 31.37% | ||
| Scattering | 120 | 0.42% | ||
On August 9 Hopper lost to King.
| August 9 Recall - District 18[16] | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
Jessica King (D) 
|
28,191 | 51.1% | ||
| Randy Hopper (R) | 26,937 | 48.83% | ||
| Scattering | 42 | .08% | ||
2008
On November 4, 2008, Randy Hopper was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate District 18. It was a slim victory in the open seat.[17]
He collected $237,854 in donations for his campaign.[18]
| Wisconsin State Senate, District 18 (2008) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | Percent | ||
| Randy Hopper (R) | 41,904 | 50.05% | ||
| Jessica King (D) | 41,741 | 49.86% | ||
Campaign themes
2023
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Randy Hopper did not complete Ballotpedia's 2023 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Ballotpedia currently provides campaign finance data for all federal- and state-level candidates from 2020 and later. We are continuously working to expand our data to include prior elections. That information will be published here as we acquire it. If you would like to help us provide this data, please consider donating to Ballotpedia.
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Hopper is separated from his wife, Alysia, and has filed for divorce.[19] They have two children, Christopher and Isabella. Hopper is a native of Fond du Lac.[20]
See also
2023 Elections
External links
- Social media:
- Summary, biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
- Profile at Wikipedia
- Campaign contributions at Follow The Money
Footnotes
- ↑ Legislation
- ↑ Bill 28
- ↑ Bill 196
- ↑ Bill 56
- ↑ Bill 37
- ↑ "Recall the Republican 8" website
- ↑ AOL News, "Wisconsin Election Recall Reality Check," February 23, 2011
- ↑ Washington Post, "Recall momentum continues: Dems collect huge number of signatures to recall Randy Hopper," April 7, 2011
- ↑ Associated Press, "Petition filed to recall 4th GOP Wisconsin senator," April 19, 2011
- ↑ The Northwestern, "Independent state reviews of petitions to recall Republican State Senators Randy Hopper, Luther Olsen are valid," May 9, 2011
- ↑ FOX 11, "GAB clears way for 3 GOP recall elections," May 23, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Recall of Senator Randy Hopper Certificate of Sufficiency and Order," June 3, 2011
- ↑ FOX 11, "King to challenge Hopper in recall," April 13, 2011
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Wisconsin GOP leaders encouraging colleagues to place fake Democrats on recall ballots," June 5, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "July 12 Primary Election Results District 18," accessed July 11, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "District 18 Recall Election Results," accessed August 19, 2011
- ↑ Wisconsin State Election Results
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedcontrib - ↑ Wisconsin Court System, Case Details, Randy Hopper
- ↑ Campaign website
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Carol Roessler |
Wisconsin State Senate District 18 2008–August 9, 2011 |
Succeeded by Jessica King |
