Of the original 1935 Socred caucus, Hooke was the only member to serve continuously in the legislature until the party's defeat in 1971.

Although reluctant at first, he was urged by people in the town of Rocky Mountain House to put his name up for the Social Credit nomination in the Red Deer electoral district.

The other four names went to the Social Credit advisory committee, which chose him to run in the 1935 Alberta general election.

Hooke ran there in the election held that year and won a clear majority on the first ballot, defeating two other candidates.

[5] Hooke briefly held two cabinet portfolios when Manning appointed him Minister of Economic Affairs on April 20, 1945.

[6] After the election Manning gave the post of Provincial Secretary to Clarence Gerhart while Hooke kept the Economic Affairs portfolio.

The unproven accusations began attracting nationwide attention and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police were called in to ensure the safety of Hooke and his family.

He faced two other candidates in the race, including Independent William Sinclair, who had been picked by federal Social Credit leader Robert Thompson to run against Hooke.

The closest to him were Manning himself, who resigned as premier and MLA in 1968, and William Tomyn who, though a member of the 1935 intake who stood down in 1971, was defeated in 1952 and did not return until 1959.

In 1980 Hooke wrote "Looking Backward to Go Forward about economic activity in the 1930s and how the downfall of the economy is repeating itself in modern times.