Gary Knopp

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Gary Knopp

| image = Gary Knopp (cropped).jpg

| state_house = Alaska

| district = 30th

| term_start = January 17, 2017

| term_end = July 31, 2020{{cite news |last1=Hollander |first1=Zaz |title=Kenai lawmaker among those killed in midair collision over Alaska's Kenai Peninsula |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2020/07/31/planes-collide-in-midair-near-soldotna-ntsb-says/ |accessdate=July 31, 2020 |agency=ADN}}

| predecessor = Kurt Olson

| successor = Ron Gillham

| office1 = Member of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly, District 1

| term_start1 = December 1, 2015

| term_end1 = January 3, 2017

| predecessor1 = Kelly Wolf

| successor1 = Brent Hibbert

| term_start2 = December 1, 2006

| term_end2 = December 1, 2012

| predecessor2 = Dan Chay

| successor2 = Kelly Wolf

| birth_name = Gary Allan Knopp

| birth_date = July 14, 1957

| birth_place = Whitefish, Montana

| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|07|31|1957|07|14}}{{cite web|first=Morgan|last=Krakow|url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2020/08/01/investigators-recovering-planes-in-midair-collision-near-soldotna-that-killed-7-including-legislator-and-local-pilot/#6906 |title=NTSB recovering planes in midair collision near Soldotna that killed 7, including legislator and local pilot|newspaper=Anchorage Daily News|date=August 1, 2020|accessdate=August 1, 2020}}

| death_place = Soldotna, Alaska

| party = Republican

| spouse =

| children =

| alma_mater =

}}

Gary Allan Knopp{{cite web|url=http://www.alaskajournal.com/business-and-finance/2012-08-09/kenai-borough-president-takes-incumbent-olson#.WW1iOcbMxLg|title=Kenai Borough president takes on incumbent Olson|newspaper=Alaska Journal of Commerce|date=August 9, 2012|accessdate=July 17, 2017}} (July 14, 1957 – July 31, 2020) was an American politician who served in the Alaska House of Representatives from the 30th district as a member of the Republican Party.

Early life

Knopp was born on July 14, 1957, in Whitefish, Montana.[https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/peninsulaclarion/obituary.aspx?n=gary-allen-knopp&pid=196603268&fhid=15100 Gary Allen Knopp-1957-2020]{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/79688/gary-knopp#.WW1djcbMxLg|title=Gary Knopp's Biography|publisher=Project VoteSmart|accessdate=July 17, 2017}} In 1979, he moved to Alaska.{{Cite news |date=July 31, 2020 |title=House Majority: Alaska Rep. Gary Knopp killed in plane crash |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/18bb05d4e93525e2e12bd0407ea2c1ed |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200801002917/https://apnews.com/18bb05d4e93525e2e12bd0407ea2c1ed |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 1, 2020 }}

Career

Knopp was elected to the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Alaska in 2006, serving until 2012 (including two years as assembly president), when he retired in order to unsuccessfully run for the state house.{{cite web|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2016-06-02/8-candidates-file-for-district-30-house-seat|title=8 candidates file for District 30 House seat|author=Earl, Elizabeth|newspaper=Peninsula Clarion|date=June 2, 2016|accessdate=July 17, 2017}} Knopp won a third term on the Assembly in 2015, and successfully ran for the House in 2016.{{cite web|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2016-11-08/knopp-wins-district-30-race|title=Knopp wins District 30 race|author=Earl, Elizabeth|newspaper=Peninsula Clarion|date=November 9, 2016|accessdate=July 17, 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2016-10-02/kenai-council-considers-city-manager-candidates|title=Kenai council considers city manager candidates|author=Boettger, Ben|newspaper=Peninsula Clarion|date=October 2, 2016|accessdate=July 17, 2017}}

=Alaska House of Representatives=

Knopp resigned from the Assembly on January 3, 2017, and was sworn in as a representative later that month.{{cite web|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/local-government/2017-01-03/hibbert-to-replace-knopp-on-assembly|title=Hibbert to replace Knopp on assembly|author=Earl, Elizabeth|newspaper=Peninsula Clarion|date=January 3, 2017|accessdate=July 18, 2017}}

In December 2018, Knopp left the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives to push for a bipartisan coalition.{{Cite news |date=December 11, 2018 |title=Rep. Gary Knopp announces withdraw from Republican caucus, pushing bipartisan coalition |url=https://www.webcenterfairbanks.com/content/news/Rep-Gary-Knopp-announces-withdraw-from-Republican-caucus-pushing-bipartisan-coalition-502427651.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200801003725/https://www.webcenterfairbanks.com/content/news/Rep-Gary-Knopp-announces-withdraw-from-Republican-caucus-pushing-bipartisan-coalition-502427651.html |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 1, 2020 }} On May 17, 2019, he was censured by the Alaska Republican Party State Central Committee due to his role in forming a majority coalition in the House of Representatives with members of the Alaska Democratic Party.{{Cite news |date=May 22, 2019 |title=Knopp censured by Alaska Republican Party |work=Homer News |url=https://www.homernews.com/news/knopp-censured-by-alaska-republican-party/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200801003011/https://www.homernews.com/news/knopp-censured-by-alaska-republican-party/ |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 1, 2020 }}

During the 30th session of the Alaska House of Representatives, from 2017 to 2019, Knopp served on the Administration, University of Alaska, Commerce, Community and Economic Development, Labor and Workforce Development, Revenue, State Affairs, Arctic Policy, Economic Development and Tourism, and Labor and Commerce committees. During the 31st session, from 2019 to 2020, he served as the chairman of the Natural Resources, and Labor and Workforce Development committees and as a member on the Finance committee.{{Cite news |title=30th and 31st Sessions Committee membership |url=http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Member/Detail/30?code=kno#undefined |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200801001847/http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Member/Detail/30?code=kno%23undefined |archive-date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=August 1, 2020 }}

Personal life

Knopp was married to Helen.{{cite web|author=Smith, Brian|date=October 6, 2012|title=Due diligence: Knopp reflects on political journey|url=http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2012-10-06-0|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130615221800/http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2012-10-06-0|archive-date=15 June 2013|accessdate=17 July 2017|newspaper=Peninsula Clarion}} He died on July 31, 2020, when his private Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser aircraft collided with a deHavilland DHC-2 Beaver owned by High Adventure Air Charter, near Soldotna, Alaska. The other plane's six occupants also died in the crash.{{cite news |last1=Hollander |first1=Zaz |title=Kenai lawmaker among those killed in midair collision over Alaska's Kenai Peninsula |url=https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/aviation/2020/07/31/planes-collide-in-midair-near-soldotna-ntsb-says/ |accessdate=July 31, 2020 |agency=ADN |date=July 31, 2020}} A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation indicated that Knopp had hit the Beaver at the aft end of the fuselage, that he had taken off shortly after the Beaver, that his aircraft was not properly registered, and that Knopp had been denied a medical certificate in 2012 due to vision problems.[https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/ntsb-lawmaker-in-plane-crash-flew-despite-vision-problems/ NTSB: Lawmaker in plane crash flew despite vision problems], Peninsula Clarion,

August 25, 2020. Retrieved January 2, 2021.

Electoral history

{{Election box begin no change | title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly District 1 election, 2006{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=829364|title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly - District 1 2006|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 733

|percentage = 63.46

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Kelly Wolf

|votes = 412

|percentage = 35.67

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Other

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 10

|percentage = 0.87

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 1,155

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly District 1 election, 2009{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=829365|title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly - District 1 2009|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=July 18, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 592

|percentage = 95.18

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Other

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 30

|percentage = 4.82

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 622

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Alaska House District 29 Republican primary, 2012{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=754837|title=AK State House 29 - R Primary 2012|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=July 18, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Kurt Olson

|votes = 1,679

|percentage = 56.10

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 1,314

|percentage = 43.90

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 2,993

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly District 1 election, 2015{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=829374|title=Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly - District 1 2015|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 269

|percentage = 30.26

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = David C. Wartinbee

|votes = 265

|percentage = 29.81

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Kelly Wolf

|votes = 180

|percentage = 20.25

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Robin Davis

|votes = 172

|percentage = 19.35

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Other

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 3

|percentage = 0.34

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 889

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Alaska House District 30 Republican primary, 2016{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=818564|title=AK State House 30 - R Primary 2016|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=June 16, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 887

|percentage = 43.14

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Rick R. Koch

|votes = 581

|percentage = 28.26

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Keith D. Baxter

|votes = 313

|percentage = 15.22

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Kelly Wolf

|votes = 275

|percentage = 13.38

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 2,056

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Alaska House District 30 election, 2016{{cite web|url=http://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=808646|title=AK State House 30 2016|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=July 18, 2017}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 5,346

|percentage = 65.29

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Democratic Party (United States)

|candidate = Shauna L. Thornton

|votes = 1,868

|percentage = 22.81

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Constitution Party (United States)

|candidate = J. R. Myers

|votes = 473

|percentage = 5.78

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Nonpartisan politician

|candidate = Daniel L. Lynch

|votes = 473

|percentage = 5.78

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Other

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 28

|percentage = 0.34

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 8,188

|percentage = 100.00

|change =

}}

{{Election box begin no change | title=Alaska House District 30 election, 2018{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=853809|title=AK State House 30 2018|publisher=Our Campaigns|accessdate=August 1, 2020}}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Republican Party (United States)

|candidate = Gary Knopp

|votes = 6,187

|percentage = 93.83

}}

{{Election box candidate no change|

|party = Other

|candidate = Write-ins

|votes = 407

|percentage = 6.17

}}