Paul Hassink

Paul Hassink was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He earned a bachelor's degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1979 and a graduate degree from Purdue University in 1980. His career experience includes working as an engineer, supervisor, manager, and director for American Electric Power Service Corp. Hassink has been a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, CIGRE, and Knights of Columbus.[1]

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As an engineer and regulatory affairs expert with decades of management success in the utility industry, I am ready to apply my expertise to advance Oklahoma’s infrastructure. Because I have had to navigate government regulation, I understand the disfunction of bureaucracy. Government programs can be ineffective and redundant, and it takes common sense and a bit of tenacity to root out the waste, fraud and abuse. Removing inefficiencies will result in saving; and then, Oklahoma can make the structural changes that create incentives to encourage efficiently and respect taxpayers.

As a three time Republican Nominee for Oklahoma House District 79, State appointed Member on the Oklahoma Home Inspection Examiner Committee, City of Tulsa appointed Member of the Sales Tax Overview Committee, and convention elected Tulsa County Republican Party State Committeeman, I have a knowledge of Oklahoma’s government that is necessary to lead the effort to rebuild our failing public education system.

Pamela, my wife, and I have raised six successful children and have twenty-one grandchildren. We are committed pro-life Christians and dedicated members of the Church of St. Mary. I am an active member of the Knights of Columbus, and serve the community through the Home Improvement Ministry. I earned my Eagle Scout, graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and attained my Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Several states are successfully rebuilding public education; it is time for Oklahoma’s education administrators to stop arguing and start delivering.The assault on children from trafficking to abortion is unacceptable. Children in our state should be able to grow up in a society that protects their rights and enables their flourishing.Land owners should be provided the opportunity to participate in local Open House meetings that are well publicized if a public project impacts their property. Government should not be holding meetings where land owners are uninformed and not present and where decisions are made on their behalf. Utilities, ODOT, OTA, Renewable Resources, and Data Centers are all entities that should be held accountable to land owners through a process that incorporates Open House meetings.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

In 2023, I formed a team to determine why there is the lack of support of conservative candidates. We analyzed the proficiency of public school students graduating from the Tulsa Public School (TPS) system. We found that Oklahoma was one of the bottom four states and that TPS was one of the bottom two school districts. TPS schools have failed students for decades. Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, was an avid reader and a self taught lawyer. Literacy is key to understanding conservatism, so it is no surprise that graduates fall prey to progressivism. It is time Oklahoma’s education administrators to stop arguing and start rebuilding our failing public schools in Oklahoma.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Congressman Kevin Hern is a leader who says what he means and means what he says. His direct and consistent messages inform constituents about the issues. Whenever asked, he uses his best judgment to explain his positions. As a self-made leader, he is able to stand above the corrupting influences of DC.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

An elected official must be able to assemble a team with a mix of experience and skillsets. Any elected official who thinks he knows enough to independently address the tangle of legislation has a false sense of security. Abraham Lincoln guided the US through a civil war by selecting a cabinet of strong minded individuals who never hesitated to share their opposing views. I have formed a capable team and I ready to make the case for my views even if it makes me unpopular.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

An elected official must be willing to do the homework. Following the lead of other legislators without obtaining supporting evidence is irresponsible. At a minimum, an elected official should ask probing questions to uncover gaps in legislation. By building an effective team, an elected official can expose weaknesses in legislation and offer amendments or vote to reject bills that do more harm than good.

What legacy would you like to leave?

Oklahoma needs a long term solution to our failing public schools. The lack of transparency, and the enormous scale of public education funding enables institutional mismanagement and disincentives to improve. Transparency into public education performance, clear responsibilities among public education agencies, targeted resources applied to struggling schools, and timely/graduated accountability are structural changes that are missing from the Oklahoma Public School system. Turning around public education in Oklahoma would be a legacy to my children and my children’s children.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

When my father immigrated to the US in 1952, he left a job as a Mayor in Holland to become an accountant for a grain elevator in Louisiana. By the time I was old enough to work in the summer, my father had become the manager. He worked with rice and soybean farmers to sell their product, while I was sweeping floors. Other summer jobs included engineering in a refinery and contributing to F-16 training manual for the fighter’s power system. Thereafter, I had a 40 year career in the electric utility industry.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

When I was in second grade, the teacher sent me to the Kindergarten teacher for phonics tutoring. It made a significant difference, but to this day I still read slowly. The limitation drove me to work harder than my classmates. I am a self-motivated individual. My achievements include a Masters degree in Electrical Engineering and a career that lead to being elevated to the position of director of a department of 150 engineers and designers.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The branches of government were designed as a balance of power. Unfortunately, the current circumstance in Oklahoma shifts the balance of power toward the legislature. Given the imbalance, ideally the governor should forge a strong relationship with the leaders of the House and Senate to find common ground.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

As I previously stated, the failure of public education is undermining Oklahoma's prosperity. Only by rebuilding the administration of the public education system can Oklahoma move forward. Teacher, parents and students are trapped in a failed system, and the current public education system administration has not made meaningful progress in decades.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

The compromise of principles is not appropriate. There are many issues that differ between legislators which are not deal-breakers but provide an opportunity for positive negotiations without compromising principles.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

Congressman Kevin Hern

What was the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember?

The Cuban missile crisis was seared into my memory. Our desks were full of canned food and our grade school practiced evacuation exercises. We had no idea what a nuclear war was, but we knew that it was bad. As a first grader, the thought of being separated from my parents by a nuclear war was beyond my comprehension.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

As an Experienced Businessman and Lifelong Conservative, I am running for Oklahoma Representative of House District 79 so that people in our district will have a grounded conservative to represent them in the legislature. Born of Immigrants, who lived through the WWII occupation of the Netherlands, I have a true appreciation of how blessed we are in the US. With over 40 years of business, managerial, regulatory, and engineering experience, I can make a difference for our district in the Legislature. I am a strong consensus builder and I am well prepared to pull together the resources necessary to enact the beneficial common sense conservative legislation we deserve.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

As an experienced businessman, I understand the how to build a strong economy that supports education, jobs, and infrastructure. We need to implement common sense solutions and not unproven theories.As a lifelong Christian, I am grounded in conservative values. Voters know where I stand and constituents can be confident that I will represent their conservative values in the Legislature.I have lived my life based on the belief that each of us is created in the image and likeness of God. Colleagues, friends, and family have consistently endorsed me for who I am, even when we differ on policy.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

My father instilled in me the drive to always make a difference. As an engineer, I understand how to seek out the logical answer by addressing the root cause of problems. When institutions simply seek to survive, they may be willing to bypass what is right for what is expedient. Experience has taught me that standing up for what is right may come at a price. I am prepared to shine a light on real problems and find people willing to join the effort to bring forth actual solutions. I am prepared to make a difference.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

In a world that has accepted socialism, my father had the foresight to see where it would lead. For that reason, he left the Netherlands post-WWII, as socialism was taking over his country. He took my mother and my two older siblings to the US to seek freedom and opportunity. It was very difficult to leave their family and a well-paying job in the Dutch government to start over in the US. I was born four years after they arrived in Lake Charles, LA. He worked two jobs so that we could attend parochial school which nurtured our faith. My siblings and I were afforded the opportunity to work in our chosen fields and grow up in a truly Christian culture. Through my parent’s sacrifice, I learned the importance of equal opportunity and hard work.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Recognizing the dignity of every individual is paramount. Far too often policies are promulgated without attention to the consequences to individuals. In the interest of “getting something done” we find that there are unintended consequences that undermine the intent of the law. If legislators truly respect the dignity of every individual, laws would be fully vetted and constituents will be protected.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

As an Engineer and a Director, I have the skills to work with teams to drive decisions. By collecting information and debating the consequences of actions, teams can discern the benefits of legislation relative to the cost and impacts on constituents. Navigating challenging issues within a specific time are skills that I have developed and enhanced over my 40 year career. Legislation requires the support of many representatives, so skills that enable differing voices to be heard and common understanding to be developed are critical to common sense legislation.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Captain Jean-Luc Picard, of the Starship Enterprise, had a mastery of history. By drawing from the past to set a course for the future, he could anticipate outcomes. Those who would reject the past fail to see the great depth of understanding that builds on those who have gone before us.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Oklahoma has many great resources; the greatest of which is its citizens. With our oil and gas economy under attack by the federal government and inflation climbing rapidly, it is difficult to retain the next generation of Oklahomans as they seek opportunity in other states. If I am elected, I will focus on developing our economy with lower taxes, focusing education on students, and creating well-paid jobs, so that we can retain talent in Oklahoma.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, as an engineer, I recognize that bringing diverse talent together is far more successful than going it alone. My business skillset, particularly in the utility sector, will be very valuable and should position me as an asset to many legislators.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

Emergency powers are very easy to abuse, as we have seen just across the border in Canada. The three way balance of power in government, legislative-executive-judicial, is undermined if executive power goes unchecked. Even in the most recent pandemic, hindsight shows that overreaction and lack of thoughtful action have led to poor decisions in many states.