Suzanne Bonamici
Encyclopedia
Suzanne Bonamici is a Democratic
politician from the U.S. state
of Oregon
. She represented District 17 in the Oregon State Senate
from 2008 to 2011. Bonamici was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives
in 2006. She received the Democratic nomination in her bid to represent Oregon's 1st congressional district
on November 8, 2011.
, a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oregon
, and a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law
.
Before entering the Legislature, she was an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission
in Washington, D.C.
and with a law firm in Portland
.
and Multnomah
counties to represent District 17 in the Oregon State Senate
. The seat became vacant when Brad Avakian
was appointed Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
. She was sworn in on May 19, 2008 and was elected to serve the remainder of the four-year term in the November general elections.
In the 2009 Legislative Session, Bonamici served as the Chair of the Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee and as a member of the Senate Judiciary and Education Committees. She was reelected in 2010.
after The Oregonian
and Willamette Week
reported Wu exhibited odd behavior and clashed with his staff in the midst of apparent mental illness during the 2010 election cycle. Following Wu's resignation from Congress, Bonamici announced her candidacy for the special election
to replace him, touting endorsements from former Governor Barbara Roberts
, former Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse
, and incumbent Oregon Attorney General John Kroger
, among others.
On November 8, 2011, Bonamici secured the Democratic Party of Oregon
's nomination for the January 2012 special election to replace Wu. She won an outright majority of the vote in every county included in the district and captured 66 percent of the vote overall, with a 44-point margin over second-place finisher Brad Avakian
. She will face Republican
nominee Rob Cornilles
in the special election.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. She represented District 17 in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
from 2008 to 2011. Bonamici was first elected to the Oregon House of Representatives
Oregon House of Representatives
The Oregon House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 60 members of the House, representing 60 districts across the state, each with a population of 57,000. The House meets at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem....
in 2006. She received the Democratic nomination in her bid to represent Oregon's 1st congressional district
Oregon's 1st congressional district
Oregon's 1st congressional district consists of the northwest corner of Oregon. It includes Clatsop, Columbia, Washington, and Yamhill counties, and southwest Portland, part of Multnomah County, which belonged to the 3rd district before the 2002 redistricting....
on November 8, 2011.
Early life, education, and early career
Bonamici was born in Detroit and raised in a small Michigan town. Her father worked for a local bank and her mother was a small-business owner and piano teacher. She got an A.A. from Lane Community CollegeLane Community College
Lane Community College is a two-year college located in Eugene, Oregon. Its slogan is "Transforming Lives Through Learning."-Education:Lane Community College offers a variety of Associate's Degrees, such as:...
, a B.A. in journalism from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, and a J.D. from the University of Oregon School of Law
University of Oregon School of Law
The University of Oregon School of Law is a public law school in the U.S. state of Oregon. Housed in the Knight Law Center, it is Oregon's only state funded law school. The school, founded in 1884, is located on the University of Oregon campus in Eugene, on the corner of 15th and Agate streets,...
.
Before entering the Legislature, she was an attorney with the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and with a law firm in Portland
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
.
Oregon Legislature
On April 30, 2008 Bonamici was appointed by Commissioners from both WashingtonWashington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
and Multnomah
Multnomah County, Oregon
Multnomah County is one of 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. Though smallest in area, it is the most populous as its county seat, Portland, is the state's largest city...
counties to represent District 17 in the Oregon State Senate
Oregon State Senate
The Oregon State Senate is the upper house of the state-wide legislature for the U.S. state of Oregon. Along with the lower chamber Oregon House of Representatives it makes up the Oregon Legislative Assembly. There are 30 members of the State Senate, representing 30 districts across the state,...
. The seat became vacant when Brad Avakian
Brad Avakian
Bradley Paul "Brad" Avakian is the Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. He was appointed by Governor Ted Kulongoski on April 8, 2008 and subsequently elected statewide on November 4, 2008...
was appointed Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries
The Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries is an agency in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Oregon. It is headed by the Commissioner of Labor and Industries, a nonpartisan, statewide elective office. The term of office is four years...
. She was sworn in on May 19, 2008 and was elected to serve the remainder of the four-year term in the November general elections.
In the 2009 Legislative Session, Bonamici served as the Chair of the Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs Committee and as a member of the Senate Judiciary and Education Committees. She was reelected in 2010.
2011 Congressional election
In early 2011, Bonamici's name was floated as a possible successor to then-Congressman David WuDavid Wu
David Wu is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1999 to 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes most of Portland west of the Willamette River, as well as all of Yamhill, Columbia, Clatsop, and Washington Counties...
after The Oregonian
The Oregonian
The Oregonian is the major daily newspaper in Portland, Oregon, owned by Advance Publications. It is the oldest continuously published newspaper on the U.S. west coast, founded as a weekly by Thomas J. Dryer on December 4, 1850...
and Willamette Week
Willamette Week
Willamette Week is an alternative weekly newspaper published in Portland, Oregon, United States. It features reports on local news, politics, sports, business and culture....
reported Wu exhibited odd behavior and clashed with his staff in the midst of apparent mental illness during the 2010 election cycle. Following Wu's resignation from Congress, Bonamici announced her candidacy for the special election
Oregon's 1st congressional district special election, 2012
A 2012 special election in Oregon's 1st congressional district will be held on January 31, 2012 to fill a seat in the U.S. Congress for Oregon's 1st congressional district, following the resignation of Representative David Wu...
to replace him, touting endorsements from former Governor Barbara Roberts
Barbara Roberts
Barbara Kay Roberts is an American politician from the state of Oregon. A native of the state, she served as the 34th Governor of Oregon from 1991 to 1995. She is the first and, to date, only woman to be elected to that office. A Democrat, Roberts was also the first woman to serve as majority...
, former Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse
Elizabeth Furse
Elizabeth Furse is a small business owner and faculty member of Portland State University. She was a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 1999, representing Oregon's 1st congressional district...
, and incumbent Oregon Attorney General John Kroger
John Kroger
John Richard Kroger is the Attorney General for the state of Oregon. Prior to being elected in 2008, he had earlier served in the Marine Corps, was an Assistant United States Attorney in New York, and most recently was a law professor at Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland.In October 2011,...
, among others.
On November 8, 2011, Bonamici secured the Democratic Party of Oregon
Democratic Party of Oregon
The Democratic Party of Oregon, based in Portland, is the official Oregon affiliate of the United States Democratic Party. It is recognized by the state of Oregon as a major political party, along with the Oregon Republican Party...
's nomination for the January 2012 special election to replace Wu. She won an outright majority of the vote in every county included in the district and captured 66 percent of the vote overall, with a 44-point margin over second-place finisher Brad Avakian
Brad Avakian
Bradley Paul "Brad" Avakian is the Commissioner of the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. He was appointed by Governor Ted Kulongoski on April 8, 2008 and subsequently elected statewide on November 4, 2008...
. She will face Republican
Oregon Republican Party
The Oregon Republican Party is the state affiliate of the United States Republican Party in Oregon, headquartered in Lake Oswego. The first state party convention was held in Salem on April 21, 1859, and its first nominee for Congress, Portland attorney David Logan...
nominee Rob Cornilles
Rob Cornilles
Robert Young Cornilles is an American businessman and politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. A Republican, he is currently a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, representing Oregon's 1st congressional district...
in the special election.
External links
- Oregon State House: Suzanne Bonamici (official legislative website)
- Project Vote Smart: Representative Suzanne Bonamici (OR) profile
- Follow the Money: Suzanne Bonamici
- 2006 campaign contributions
- Suzanne Bonamici for State Senate (official campaign website)