Terri Bonoff

Infobox State Senator
name=Terri Bonoff


state_senate=Minnesota
state=Minnesota
district=43^rd
term=2005 -
preceded=
succeeded=Incumbent
party=Democratic Farmer Labor Party
date of birth= birth date and age |1957|08|01
place of birth=Minneapolis, Minnesota
date of death=
place of death=
alma_mater=Clark University
occupation=marketing
spouse=Matthew Knopf
residence=Hopkins, Minnesota
religion=Jewish|

Terri E. Bonoff (born August 1, 1957) is a Democratic Farmer Labor Party member of the Minnesota Senate, representing District 43 since a special election in November 2005. Her district includes portions of Minnetonka, Plymouth and Medicine Lake.

Bonoff serves as Vice Chair of the E-12 Budget Division, and as a member of the Education Committee, the Business, Industry and Jobs Committee, and the Transportation Budget and Policy Committee. Her stated legislative interests include education, transportation, health care and the environment.

Personal life

Terri Bonoff grew up in Edina, Minnesota and later attended Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts, earning a degree in Psychology and Sociology. After 18 years in business, she retired in 1999 as a marketing executive from Navarre Corporation. Prior to joining Navarre, Ms. Bonoff spent five years in the toy and video game business, first with Tonka Toys and later Toy Soldiers. In addition, Ms. Bonoff began her career in fashion retail with Jackson Graves, a family owned women's specialty store. Senator Bonoff chose to leave her business career to spend time with her husband and four children.

Political career

Bonoff won a 2005 special election against Plymouth Mayor Judy Johnson to fill the State Senate seat being vacated by incumbent Republican David Gaither. In 2006 she won a rematch with Johnson in a general election. Her slogan for both elections was "uniting the middle".

Prior to joining the Senate, she sat on the Minnetonka Planning Commission and lobbied at the Capitol as a volunteer for the Hopkins Legislative Action Commission. She became deeply involved in the community, eventually becoming President of the Hopkins Legislative Action Coalition, a guide at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the President of Babe Ruth Baseball in Hopkins/Minnetonka.

2008 campaign

Bonoff was a candidate for the 3rd congressional district seat held by the retiring Jim Ramstad. [cite web| title =Democrat Bonoff to run for Congress in 3rd District| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-10-05| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/11/05/bonoff/| accessdate =2007-11-21] cite web| title =Candidates lining up in the 6th, 3rd Congressional Districts| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2007-09-28| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/09/28/tinklenberg/| accessdate =2007-10-01] In November 2007, EMILY's List endorsed her campaign. [ [http://www.emilyslist.org/news/releases/2008_bonoff_endorsement/ EMILY's List Announces Endorsement of Terri Bonoff in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District] "EMILY's List", November 26, 2007] The AFSCME union endorsed Bonoff on November 30, 2007. On April 12, 2008, Bonoff made good on her pledge and dropped out of the U.S. House race after Ashwin Madia was endorsed by the DFL party.cite web| title =Democrats endorse Madia in 3rd Congressional District| publisher =Minnesota Public Radio| date =2008-04-12| url =http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/04/12/3rddistrict/| accessdate =2008-04-13]

Electoral history

*Minnesota Senate District 43 Election 2006
**Terri Bonoff (D) (inc.), 19159 votes, 51.93%
**Judy Johnson (R), 17697 votes, 47.96%
**Write In, 41 votes, 0.11%

*Minnesota Senate District 43 Special Election 2005
**Terri Bonoff (D), 5745 votes, 54.44%
**Judy Johnson (R), 4802 votes, 45.50%
**Write In, 6 votes, 0.06%

References

External links

* [http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/member_bio.php?district=43&status=active Minnesota Senate - Senator Terri E. Bonoff] official MN Senate website
* [http://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail.asp?ID=15188 Minnesota Legislative Reference Library - Terri E. Bonoff]
* [http://www.terribonoff.com/ Terri Bonoff for Congress] official campaign site
* [http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/ongoing/votetracker/legislator_view.php?id=214 Minnesota Public Radio - Votetracker: Terri Bonoff] voting record
* [http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=38482 Project Vote Smart - Senator Terri Bonoff (MN)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Terri Bonoff
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=82329 2006] campaign contributions