Bobby Joe Champion
{{Short description|American politician (born 1963)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Bobby Joe Champion
|image = Bobby Joe Champion (26140594060) (cropped).jpg
|office = 17th President of the Minnesota Senate
|alongside = Jeremy Miller (January 14, 2025 – February 3, 2025)
|term_start = January 3, 2023
|term_end =
|predecessor = David Osmek
|successor =
|state_senate1 = Minnesota
|district1 = 59th
|term_start1 = January 8, 2013
|term_end1 =
|predecessor1 = Linda Higgins {{small|(Redistricting)}}
|successor1 =
|state_house2 = Minnesota
|district2 = 58B
|term_start2 = January 6, 2009
|term_end2 = January 8, 2013
|predecessor2 = Augustine Dominguez
|successor2 = Raymond Dehn {{small|(Redistricting)}}
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|12|17}}
|birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|spouse = Angela
|children = 3
|education = Macalester 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15317 |title=Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Champion, Bobby Joe |publisher=Leg.state.mn.us |access-date=2010-07-20}} He is the incumbent president of the Minnesota Senate.{{cite news |last1=Olson |first1=Rochelle |title=Minnesota Senate Democrats choose Kari Dziedzic of Minneapolis as new majority leader |url=https://www.startribune.com/senate-dfl-chooses-kari-dziedzic-of-minneapolis-as-new-majority-leader/600224376/ |access-date=11 November 2022 |publisher=Star Tribune |date=11 November 2022}}
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.{{cite web|url=http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109081 |title=Project Vote Smart - Representative Bobby Joe Champion - Biography |publisher=Votesmart.org |date=1963-12-17 |access-date=2010-07-20}}
In 2022, Bobby Joe Champion was a defense attorney for two defendants tried for murder for causing an accident where two people were killed. The defendants were accused of racing and reaching speeds of 115mph in a 50mph zone, resulting in an accident where two people in another car were killed but the defendants had relatively minor injuries. Bobby Joe Champion questioned the deceased's decision to turn left into the intersection during his defense.{{cite news |last1=Blume |first1=Paul |title=First trial underway for siblings charged in deadly drag racing crash in Burnsville |url=https://www.fox9.com/news/first-trial-underway-for-siblings-charged-in-deadly-drag-racing-crash-in-burnsville |access-date=6 April 2025 |work=FOX 9 |date=7 December 2022}} Leon Bond III, who was 17 at the time of the accident, was tried as a juvenile and released when he was 21. Camille Dennis-Bond was sentenced to 15 years in prison.{{Cite news |title=Burnsville woman, who was racing teen brother, gets 15-year prison term for Wisconsin couple’s crash deaths |url=https://www.twincities.com/2023/03/24/burnsville-woman-racing-brother-sentenced-wisconsin-couples-crash-deaths/}} In the 2023 legislative session, Bobby Joe Champion pushed for changes to the juvenile probation program in Minnesota.{{cite news |last1=Serres |first1=Chris |title=Citing failures, Minnesota DFL lawmakers push juvenile justice system reforms |url=https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-dfl-lawmakers-citing-failures-push-reforms-to-the-juvenile-justice-system/600243043 |access-date=6 April 2025 |work=www.startribune.com |date=12 January 2023 |language=en}}
= Minnesota House of Representatives =
Champion was elected to the House in 2008, unseating first-term incumbent Augustine Dominguez. He was reelected in 2010.{{cite web|url=http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M%3DLG%26R%3DALL%26LD%3D58B |title=Election Reporting |access-date=2010-11-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313122613/http://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/20101102/ElecRslts.asp?M=LG&R=ALL&LD=58B |archive-date=2012-03-13 }}
= Minnesota Senate =
In November 2012, Champion was elected to the Minnesota Senate, defeating Republican Jim Lilly by a margin of 82%–18%.{{cite web|title=Election Results|url=http://www.kare11.com/news/elections/results/results.aspx?raceid=69|work=kare11.com|access-date=4 January 2013}} Champion was reelected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016, defeating challenger Jennifer Carnahan.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/elections/results/minnesota-state-senate-district-59 |title=Minnesota 59th District State Senate Results: Bobby Joe Champion Wins |work=The New York Times |date=2017-08-01 |access-date=2017-11-13}} Champion was also re-elected in 2020 and 2022.{{cite web|url=https://electionresults.sos.state.mn.us/results/Index?ErsElectionId=136&scenario=StateSenate&DistrictId=547&show=Go |title=Results for State Senator District 59 |publisher=Minnesota Secretary of State: Election Results}} In 2022, he was chosen to serve as president of the Senate by his caucus. He is the first African-American to ever hold this position. In addition, Champion currently chairs the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development.
Champion was author and primary sponsor of MN Senate Bill SF 3904.{{cite web|url=https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/text.php?number=SF3904&version=0&session=ls93&session_year=2024&session_number=0|work=Minnesota State Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes|access-date=10 October 2024 |title=SF 3904 as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) }} Bill SF 3904 seeks to extend the upper age limit for juvenile jurisdiction to
individuals under age 21.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{MN-legdb|15317}}
- [http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?mem_id=1212 Senator Bobby Joe Champion] official Minnesota Senate website
- [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=109081 Project Votesmart - Rep. Bobby Joe Champion Profile]
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{{s-bef|before=David Osmek}}
{{s-ttl|title=President of the Minnesota Senate|years=2023–present|alongside=Jeremy Miller (2025)}}
{{s-inc}}
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{{Current Minnesota statewide political officials}}
{{U.S. State Senate Presidents}}
{{Minnesota Senate Presidents}}
{{Minnesota State Senators}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Champion, Bobby Joe}}
Category:20th-century African-American politicians
Category:21st-century African-American politicians
Category:African-American state legislators in Minnesota
Category:Democratic Party members of the Minnesota House of Representatives
Category:Democratic Party Minnesota state senators
Category:Lawyers from Minneapolis
Category:Macalester College alumni
Category:Politicians from Minneapolis
Category:William Mitchell College of Law alumni
Category:Candidates in the 2018 United States House of Representatives elections