Berfield attacked Hooper for "allowing 'bungled public projects' like the accident-prone Clearwater Beach roundabout" and for being a "union boss.

When Berfield, who had defeated him previously, opted to run for the Florida Senate in 2006 rather than seek re-election, Hooper ran to succeed her, campaigning on a platform of reforming homeowners' insurance.

In the general election, Hooper faced Democratic nominee and restaurateur Ben Farrell, and he was endorsed by the Tampa Bay Times, which praised him as "one of the more practical Republicans" in the legislature for opposing "oil drilling in state waters, the expansion of tuition vouchers and casino gambling.

Following election to his final term in the legislature, Hooper, who is term-limited, announced that he would run against Pinellas County Commissioner Norm Roche.

In 2021, Hooper sponsored legislation to overturn the results of a Key West ballot initiative to restrict the size of ships and the number of passengers who can visit the city daily.