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. He is the incumbent president of the Minnesota Senate.
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.
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. 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. In the 2023 legislative session, Bobby Joe Champion pushed for changes to the juvenile probation program in Minnesota.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Champion was elected to the House in 2008, unseating first-term incumbent Augustine Dominguez. He was reelected in 2010.
Minnesota Senate
In November 2012, Champion was elected to the Minnesota Senate, defeating Republican Jim Lilly by a margin of 82%–18%. Champion was reelected to the Minnesota Senate in 2016, defeating challenger Jennifer Carnahan. Champion was also re-elected in 2020 and 2022. 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. Bill SF 3904 seeks to extend the upper age limit for juvenile jurisdiction to individuals under age 21.
References
External links
- Bobby Joe Champion at Minnesota Legislators Past & Present
- Senator Bobby Joe Champion official Minnesota Senate website
- Project Votesmart - Rep. Bobby Joe Champion Profile
