Great Falls Candidates: Sandor Hopkins For HD23
Editors note: Candidates on the November 5 ballot for Great Falls/Cascade County HD23 are Republican Eric Tilleman and Democrat Sandor Hopkins. Tilleman did not respond to our request for a candidate profile.
Who I am: I grew up in an Air Force family, yet have lived most of my life in Great Falls. I graduated from CMR High School in 2005 and Montana State University – Bozeman in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, and a focus on International Relations. I currently live with my wife on the lower south side of Great Falls, and enjoy spending time in my community and on our public lands.
What I do: I am a project manager for a land surveying company that does business across Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho. I have been a Certified Floodplain Manager since 2018, a Trustee for the Maclean-Cameron Animal Adoption Center since 2020, and a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners since June of 2023. I have worked on both the public and private side of land-use planning, and understand the challenges and limitations faced by landowners and renters seeking affordable housing.
Why I am running: Foremost, I believe that Montanans in Great Falls and across the state are feeling the strain of an inadequate housing supply and soaring costs of living, impacting every aspect of daily life. I was privileged to be a part of a working group that drafted Senate Bill 382, known as the Montana Land Use Planning Act, which was approved with broad bi-partisan support and signed by Governor Gianforte on May 17, 2023. I want to ensure that this Act becomes a reality and improves the lives of everyone who chooses to live in our great State.
I also would like to work towards limiting government involvement in private medical decisions between healthcare professionals and their patients, advocating for the conservation of our public lands, striving towards energy sustainability and independence, and investing in our future through a robust educational system, and quality of life through adequate mental and physical health care. My goal as a Representative is to improve Montanans’ quality of life, not just in Great Falls, but across our beautiful State.
What I plan to do: Ensuring quality affordable housing at all income brackets is a good first step to lowering the overall impacts of cost of living in Montana, but that is only one piece of the puzzle. Our City and County governments are required to work within tight budget constraints, while the State of Montana maintains a substantial budget surplus. It is the Legislature’s responsibility to invest these funds back into services and programs that benefit ordinary people, and the source of this revenue restructured in a way that lessens the burden on renters and residential property owners. Some of the services I would advocate for include mental and behavioral health services, child care services, funding for public schools, and healthcare access in underserved communities, and resources for those who provide these services. I am running a campaign based on optimism that prioritizes people over party politics, divise rhetoric, and meaningless culture wars. I look forward to serving all citizens of House District 23