Bobby Joe Champion


Bobby Joe Champion is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, he represents District 59, which includes portions of downtown and north Minneapolis in Hennepin County. He is also an attorney.

Early life, education, and career

Champion graduated from Minneapolis North High School, then went on to Macalester College in Saint Paul, receiving his B.A. in political science. He later received his J.D. from William Mitchell College of Law, also in Saint Paul. He worked as an assistant Minnesota attorney general under Hubert H. Humphrey III 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 was program director for Social Spaces with Stairstep Initiative.

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.