Bobby Joe Champion
17th President of the Minnesota Senate
Assumed office
January 3, 2023
Preceded byDavid Osmek
Member of the Minnesota Senate
from the 59th district
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded byLinda Higgins (Redistricting)
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 58B district
In office
January 6, 2009 – January 8, 2013
Preceded byAugustine Dominguez
Succeeded byRaymond Dehn (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born (1963-12-17) December 17, 1963
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
SpouseAngela
Children3
EducationMacalester College (BA)
William Mitchell College of Law (JD)

Bobby Joe Champion (born December 17, 1963) is an American attorney and politician serving as a member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he represents the 59th district, which includes portions of downtown and north Minneapolis in Hennepin County.[1] He is the incumbent President of the Minnesota Senate.[2]

Early life and education

Champion was born in Minneapolis and graduated from Minneapolis North High School. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Macalester College and a Juris Doctor from the William Mitchell College of Law.

Career

Champion worked as an assistant Minnesota attorney general under Skip Humphrey and Mike Hatch, and as an attorney for a legal rights center. He also worked with Flyte Tyme Productions and was co-founder and director of the Grammy-nominated Excelsior Choir. He was executive director of the Midwest chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and program director for Social Spaces with Stairstep Initiative.[1][3]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Champion was elected to the House in 2008, unseating first-term incumbent Augustine Dominguez. He was reelected in 2010.[4]

Minnesota Senate

In November 2012, Champion was elected to the Minnesota Senate, defeating Republican Jim Lilly by a margin of 82%–18%.[5] Champion was reelected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016, defeating challenger Jennifer Carnahan.[6] Champion was also re-elected in 2020 and 2022.[7] In 2022, he was chosen to serve as president of the Senate by his caucus; he is expected to be formally elected when the Senate meets in January 2023.

References

  1. 1 2 "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Champion, Bobby Joe". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  2. ↑ Olson, Rochelle (11 November 2022). "Minnesota Senate Democrats choose Kari Dziedzic of Minneapolis as new majority leader". Star Tribune. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
  3. ↑ "Project Vote Smart - Representative Bobby Joe Champion - Biography". Votesmart.org. 1963-12-17. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
  4. ↑ "Election Reporting". Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2010-11-15.
  5. ↑ "Election Results". kare11.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  6. ↑ "Minnesota 59th District State Senate Results: Bobby Joe Champion Wins". The New York Times. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
  7. ↑ "Results for State Senator District 59". Minnesota Secretary of State: Election Results.
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