Transcript Staff

Norman David Hopper, a 6-year member of the Norman City Council, announced this past week that he is a candidate for the Republican nomination for State House District 45.

House District 45 is currently held by Democrat Wallace Collins.

While on the City Council, Hopper served on the Community Involvement Committee, the Planning Committee, the Oversight Committee, and was the Chairman of the Norman Centennial Committee, the organization that led Norman's observance of the Oklahoma Centennial.

Hopper has lived in Norman for 35 years and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Law School.

His wife, Linda is finishing her 34th year of teaching in the Norman Public Schools; two of Hopper's daughters went to Norman Public Schools and graduated from the University of Oklahoma.

Hopper served five years in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, and then served another 23 years as an Air Force reservist, retiring from the Air Force Judge Advocate General Department as a Lt. Col.

Hopper is a member of the First Baptist Church in Norman and the Norman Rotary Club.

He was one of the incorporators of the Norman Public School Foundation in 1984 and served on the Board of Directors for eight years. In addition to his service as a Councilmember he has served on the Cleveland County Citizens Advisory Committee, the Cleveland County Jail Committee (twice), the Cleveland County Youth and Family Services Committee; and the Cleveland County Cerebral Palsy Committee.

Hopper said his platform will promote strong families, strong schools, and responsible leadership.

"The family is the foundation of our society, and we will only be as strong as our families," he said. "Strong families will also help us build strong schools. Parental involvement in the schools is critical to how well our children perform."

Hopper said he intends to bring responsible leadership to the Legislature.

"For too many years the Legislature has underfunded state pension systems, the Corrections Department and the critical infrastructure of our roads and bridges. We can no longer ignore these critical needs. He will work to insure that the State uses sound fiscal management to provide the services that our citizens desire at the lowest possible cost."

For more information about Hopper's campaign, call 360-3591.