Gary Knopp Explained

Gary Knopp
State House:Alaska
District:30th
Term Start:January 17, 2017
Term End:July 31, 2020[1]
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:[2]
Death Place:Soldotna, Alaska
Party:Republican

Gary Allan Knopp[3] (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.[4] [5] In 1979, he moved to Alaska.[6]

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.[7] Knopp won a third term on the Assembly in 2015, and successfully ran for the House in 2016.[8] [9]

Alaska House of Representatives

Knopp resigned from the Assembly on January 3, 2017, and was sworn in as a representative later that month.[10]

In December 2018, Knopp left the Republican caucus in the House of Representatives to push for a bipartisan coalition.[11] 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.[12]

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.[13]

Personal life

Knopp was married to Helen.[14] 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.[15] 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.[16]

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Hollander . Zaz . Kenai lawmaker among those killed in midair collision over Alaska's Kenai Peninsula . July 31, 2020 . ADN.
  2. Web site: Morgan. Krakow. NTSB recovering planes in midair collision near Soldotna that killed 7, including legislator and local pilot. Anchorage Daily News. August 1, 2020. August 1, 2020.
  3. Web site: Kenai Borough president takes on incumbent Olson. Alaska Journal of Commerce. August 9, 2012. July 17, 2017.
  4. https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/peninsulaclarion/obituary.aspx?n=gary-allen-knopp&pid=196603268&fhid=15100 Gary Allen Knopp-1957-2020
  5. Web site: Gary Knopp's Biography. Project VoteSmart. July 17, 2017.
  6. News: July 31, 2020 . House Majority: Alaska Rep. Gary Knopp killed in plane crash . . live . https://archive.today/20200801002917/https://apnews.com/18bb05d4e93525e2e12bd0407ea2c1ed . August 1, 2020 . August 1, 2020 .
  7. Web site: 8 candidates file for District 30 House seat. Earl, Elizabeth. Peninsula Clarion. June 2, 2016. July 17, 2017.
  8. Web site: Knopp wins District 30 race. Earl, Elizabeth. Peninsula Clarion. November 9, 2016. July 17, 2017.
  9. Web site: Kenai council considers city manager candidates. Boettger, Ben. Peninsula Clarion. October 2, 2016. July 17, 2017.
  10. Web site: Hibbert to replace Knopp on assembly. Earl, Elizabeth. Peninsula Clarion. January 3, 2017. July 18, 2017.
  11. News: December 11, 2018 . Rep. Gary Knopp announces withdraw from Republican caucus, pushing bipartisan coalition . live . https://archive.today/20200801003725/https://www.webcenterfairbanks.com/content/news/Rep-Gary-Knopp-announces-withdraw-from-Republican-caucus-pushing-bipartisan-coalition-502427651.html . August 1, 2020 . August 1, 2020 .
  12. News: May 22, 2019 . Knopp censured by Alaska Republican Party . Homer News . live . https://archive.today/20200801003011/https://www.homernews.com/news/knopp-censured-by-alaska-republican-party/ . August 1, 2020 . August 1, 2020 .
  13. News: 30th and 31st Sessions Committee membership . live . https://archive.today/20200801001847/http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Member/Detail/30?code=kno%23undefined . August 1, 2020 . August 1, 2020 .
  14. Web site: Smith, Brian. October 6, 2012. Due diligence: Knopp reflects on political journey. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130615221800/http://peninsulaclarion.com/news/2012-10-06-0. 15 June 2013. 17 July 2017. Peninsula Clarion.
  15. News: Hollander . Zaz . Kenai lawmaker among those killed in midair collision over Alaska's Kenai Peninsula . July 31, 2020 . ADN . July 31, 2020.
  16. https://www.peninsulaclarion.com/news/ntsb-lawmaker-in-plane-crash-flew-despite-vision-problems/ NTSB: Lawmaker in plane crash flew despite vision problems