James Edward Hopkins (May 12, 1879 – March 19, 1939) was an American labor leader and politician who served one term in the California State Assembly for the 31st district from 1909 to 1911.

[1] Hopkins began his career as a Teamster, serving as a delegate to the San Francisco Labor Council.

In 1908, he was elected to the California State Assembly on a Democratic-Union Labor-Independence League ticket.

He was arrested on murder charges, but was exonerated the next day after multiple witnesses came to his defense.

[5] A self-described "ultra-conservative" dedicated to fighting radicalism within the ranks of organized labor, Hopkins nonetheless called for the repeal of the California Criminal Syndicalism Act.