William Edison Hoge (April 2, 1946 – July 5, 2025) was an American politician from California and a onetime member of the Republican Party.
Life and career After the 1991 redistricting the Pasadena, Altadena and Sunland-Tujunga areas gained their own GOP-leaning seat in the California State Assembly. Businessman Bill Hoge, backed by a host of conservatives, won a 10-way GOP primary and then defeated a weak Democrat to take this seat.California Journal Vol. XXIII, No.12 (December 1992) "Complete District by district results". StateNet Publications, December 1992.
Democrats, meanwhile, considered Hoge vulnerable. They noted that despite the weakness of their nominee in 1992, Hoge still performed poorly. They recruited former Pasadena police chief Bruce Philpott to run against Hoge in 1994, but he was unsuccessful.California Journal Vol. XXV, No.12 (December 1994) "Complete Election Results". StateNet Publications, December 1994.
In 1996, GOP state senate minority leader Rob Hurtt of Garden Grove tried to persuade Hoge to run for an open state senate seat. Hoge declined, thinking it was a safer bet to stay in the assembly.California Journal Vol. XXVII, No. 12 (December 1996) "District by district analysis". StateNet Publications, December 1996. That year he gained national notoriety for sponsoring the first bill in the United States to mandate chemical castration as a condition of parole for recidivist sex offenders. The measure passed and was approved by Governor Pete Wilson. The web page notes the Chemical Castration clause as a repeal and an addition to Section 645. the measure remains law in California. Despite the bill's draconian phrasing, a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections in 2010 was quoted by CBS San Diego as having "no information showing the program is actually being implemented on a widespread basis."
Hoge was defeated for reelection by Democrat Jack Scott, former president of Pasadena City College.
Hoge later moved to Nevada and joined the Independent American Party of Nevada, which he ran under for Nevada State Treasurer in 2018, the Nevada Assembly in 2020, Lieutenant Governor of Nevada in 2022, and Nevada's 1st congressional district in 2024. He died on July 5, 2025, at the age of 79.
Electoral history + Member, California State Assembly: 1986–1988YearOfficeDemocratVotesPctRepublicanVotesPct1992California State Assembly District 44Johnathan Fuhrman65,33244%Bill Hoge77,04451.8%1994California State Assembly District 44Bruce Philpott37,11241.8%Bill Hoge64,27653.3%1996California State Assembly District 44Jack Scott72,59153%Bill Hoge60,12443.9%
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