Bobby Joe Champion

Bobby Joe Champion
Bobby Joe Champion
	Champion in 2016
President of the Minnesota Senate
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 3, 2023 Serving with Jeremy Miller (January 14, 2025 – February 3, 2025)
Preceded by	David Osmek
Member of the Minnesota Senate; from the 59th district
	Incumbent
	Assumed office ; January 8, 2013
Preceded by	Linda Higgins (Redistricting)
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives; from the 58B district
	In office; January 6, 2009 – January 8, 2013
Preceded by	Augustine Dominguez
Succeeded by	Raymond Dehn (Redistricting)
Personal details
Born	December 17, 1963 (age 62); Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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.^[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 co-founded and directed 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]

In the 2023 legislative session, Champion pushed for changes to Minnesota's juvenile probation program.^[4]

On January 27, 2026, Champion was struck by liquid sprayed by a man at a Ilhan Omar townhall event.^[5]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Champion was elected to the House in 2008, unseating first-term incumbent Augustine Dominguez. He was reelected in 2010.^[6]

Minnesota Senate

In 2012, Champion was elected to the Minnesota Senate, defeating Republican Jim Lilly, 82%–18%.^[7] He was reelected to the Senate in 2016, defeating challenger Jennifer Carnahan.^[8] Champion was also reelected in 2020 and 2022.^[9] In 2022, he was chosen to serve as president of the Senate by his caucus. He is the first African-American to hold this position. Champion also chairs the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present - Legislator Record - Champion, Bobby Joe". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
^ Olson, Rochelle (11 November 2022). "Minnesota Senate Democrats choose Kari Dziedzic of Minneapolis as new majority leader". Star Tribune. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
^ "Project Vote Smart - Representative Bobby Joe Champion - Biography". Votesmart.org. 1963-12-17. Retrieved 2010-07-20.
^ Serres, Chris (12 January 2023). "Citing failures, Minnesota DFL lawmakers push juvenile justice system reforms". www.startribune.com. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
^ Champion, Senator Bobby Joe (2026-01-28). "Senator Champion Statement on Incident at Town Hall | Minnesota Senate DFL". Retrieved 2026-01-28.
^ "Election Reporting". Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2010-11-15.
^ "Election Results". kare11.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
^ "Minnesota 59th District State Senate Results: Bobby Joe Champion Wins". The New York Times. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2017-11-13.
^ "Results for State Senator District 59". Minnesota Secretary of State: Election Results.

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

Political offices

Preceded by

David Osmek

President of the Minnesota Senate
2023–present
Served alongside: Jeremy Miller (2025)

Incumbent

[state1-1] "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] Serres, Chris (12 January 2023). "Citing failures, Minnesota DFL lawmakers push juvenile justice system reforms". www.startribune.com. Retrieved 6 April 2025.

[5] Champion, Senator Bobby Joe (2026-01-28). "Senator Champion Statement on Incident at Town Hall | Minnesota Senate DFL". Retrieved 2026-01-28.

[6] "Election Reporting". Archived from the original on 2012-03-13. Retrieved 2010-11-15.

[7] "Election Results". kare11.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013.

[8] "Minnesota 59th District State Senate Results: Bobby Joe Champion Wins". The New York Times. 2017-08-01. Retrieved 2017-11-13.

[9] "Results for State Senator District 59". Minnesota Secretary of State: Election Results.

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v t e Statewide elected officials and legislative leaders of Minnesota
U.S. senators	Amy Klobuchar Tina Smith
State government	Tim Walz, Governor Peggy Flanagan, Lieutenant Governor Steve Simon, Secretary of State Keith Ellison, Attorney General Julie Blaha, Auditor
Senate	Bobby Joe Champion, President Ann Rest, President pro tempore Erin Murphy, Majority Leader Mark Johnson, Minority Leader
House	Lisa Demuth, Speaker Bjorn Olson, Speaker pro tempore Harry Niska, Majority Leader Zack Stephenson, Minority Leader
Supreme Court	Natalie Hudson, Chief Justice Anne McKeig Paul Thissen Gordon Moore Karl Procaccini Sarah Hennesy Theodora Gaïtas, Associate Justices

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Italics indicate presidents pro tempore *Unicameral body

v t e Presidents of the Minnesota Senate
Lt. Governor (1858–1973)	Holcombe Donnelly Sherwood Armstrong Yale Barto Wakefield Gilman Rice Ives Clough Day Gibbs L. Smith Jones Eberhart E. Smith Gordon Burnquist Sullivan Frankson Collins Nolan Adams Arens Solberg Petersen Richardson Lindsten Anderson Thye A. Miller Anderson Nelsen Rolvaag Keith Goetz Perpich
Senate-elected (1973–present)	Olson Gearty Davies Hughes Chmielewski Hughes Spear Samuelson Metzen Fischbach Pappas Fischbach J. Miller Tomassoni J. Miller Osmek Champion

v t e Members of the Minnesota Senate
94th Minnesota Legislature (2025-2027) President Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) President pro tempore Ann Rest (DFL) Majority Leader Erin Murphy (DFL) Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R)
▌Mark Johnson (R) ▌Steven Green (R) ▌Grant Hauschild (DFL) ▌Rob Kupec (DFL) ▌Paul Utke (R) ▌Keri Heintzeman (R) ▌Robert Farnsworth (R) ▌Jen McEwen (DFL) ▌Jordan Rasmusson (R) ▌Nathan Wesenberg (R) ▌Jason Rarick (R) ▌Torrey Westrom (R) ▌Jeff Howe (R) ▌Aric Putnam (DFL) ▌Gary Dahms (R) ▌Andrew Lang (R) ▌Glenn Gruenhagen (R) ▌Nick Frentz (DFL) ▌John Jasinski (R) ▌Steve Drazkowski (R) ▌Bill Weber (R) ▌Rich Draheim (R) ▌Gene Dornink (R) ▌Carla Nelson (R) ▌Liz Boldon (DFL) ▌Jeremy Miller (R) ▌Andrew Mathews (R) ▌Mark Koran (R) ▌Michael Holmstrom Jr. (R) ▌Eric Lucero (R) ▌Cal Bahr (R) ▌Michael Kreun (R) ▌Karin Housley (R) ▌John Hoffman (DFL) ▌Jim Abeler (R) ▌Heather Gustafson (DFL) ▌Warren Limmer (R) ▌Susan Pha (DFL) ▌Mary Kunesh (DFL) ▌John Marty (DFL) ▌Judy Seeberger (DFL) ▌Bonnie Westlin (DFL) ▌Ann Rest (DFL) ▌Tou Xiong (DFL) ▌Ann Johnson Stewart (DFL) ▌Ron Latz (DFL) ▌Amanda Hemmingsen-Jaeger (DFL) ▌Julia Coleman (R) ▌Steve Cwodzinski (DFL) ▌Alice Mann (DFL) ▌Melissa Wiklund (DFL) ▌Jim Carlson (DFL) ▌Matt Klein (DFL) ▌Eric Pratt (R) ▌Lindsey Port (DFL) ▌Erin Maye Quade (DFL) ▌Zach Duckworth (R) ▌Bill Lieske (R) ▌Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) ▌Doron Clark (DFL) ▌Scott Dibble (DFL) ▌Omar Fateh (DFL) ▌Zaynab Mohamed (DFL) ▌Erin Murphy (DFL) ▌Sandy Pappas (DFL) ▌Clare Oumou Verbeten (DFL) ▌Foung Hawj (DFL)
Majority caucus ▌Democratic–Farmer–Labor (34) Minority caucus ▌Republican (33) Minnesota Legislature Senate House List of past legislatures