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Jo Bonner

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This article is about the American politician. For the American jazz pianist, see Joe Bonner. For the Swedish racecar driver, see Jo Bonnier.
Jo Bonner
4th President of the University of South Alabama
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 2, 2021
Preceded byTony Waldrop
Chief of Staff to the Governor of Alabama
In office
January 20, 2019 – December 2, 2021
GovernorKay Ivey
Preceded bySteve Pelham
Succeeded byLiz Filmore
Chair of the House Ethics Committee
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2013
Preceded byZoe Lofgren
Succeeded byMike Conaway
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 1st district
In office
January 3, 2003 – August 2, 2013
Preceded bySonny Callahan
Succeeded byBradley Byrne
Personal details
Born
Josiah Robins Bonner

(1959-11-19) November 19, 1959 (age 64)
Selma, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseJanée Lambert
Children2
EducationUniversity of Alabama (BA)

Josiah Robins Bonner Jr. (born November 19, 1959) is an American academic administrator and former politician who currently serves as the fourth president of the University of South Alabama. He was previously the U.S. representative for Alabama's 1st congressional district from 2003 to 2013. He is a member of the Republican Party. He resigned from Congress on August 2, 2013, to take a job with the University of Alabama.[1] He served as Chief of Staff to Alabama governor Kay Ivey from 2019 to 2021, before becoming the president of the University of South Alabama. He was officially inaugurated in December 2021.[2]

Early life, education, and early political career

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Bonner was born in Selma, Alabama, but was reared in Camden, Alabama,[3] to Josiah Robins Bonner and the now deceased Imogene Virginia Lyons.[4] He graduated in 1982 with a degree in journalism from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.[5]

Two years later he started working as campaign press secretary for U.S. Congressman Sonny Callahan, a Republican representing Alabama's 1st congressional district. In 1989, Bonner was promoted to Callahan's chief of staff and moved to Mobile.[5]

Bonner has served as a member of the board of directors for the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Leadership Mobile, and the Mobile Chapter of the University of Alabama Alumni Association. In 2000, the College of Communications at the University of Alabama honored him as their Outstanding Alumnus in Public Relations. He was a member of Leadership Mobile, Class of 2000, where his classmates elected him co-president.[6]

U.S. House of Representatives

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Elections

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2002

Callahan did not run for reelection in 2002, and Bonner entered the race to succeed him. He ranked first in the crowded seven-way Republican primary with 40% of the vote, but failed to reach the 50% threshold needed to win outright.[7] In the run-off election Bonner defeated Tom Young, chief of staff to U.S. Senator Richard Shelby 62%–38%.[8] In the general election, he defeated Democrat Judy Belk with 61% of the vote.[9] However, he had effectively clinched a seat in Congress with his primary victory. The 1st is one of the most Republican districts in Alabama and the South, and has been in Republican hands without interruption since 1965. Bonner was also endorsed by his predecessors, Callahan and Jack Edwards.

2004–2010

During this time period, Bonner never won re-election with less than 63% of the vote. He even ran unopposed in 2008 and 2010.[10]

2012
See also: 2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Alabama § District 1

After redistricting, Bonner decided to run for a sixth term. In the Republican primary, he drew three opponents.[11] For the third election in a row, no other party even put up a candidate, meaning that whoever won the primary would be all but assured of election.

An anti-incumbent super PAC called the Campaign for Primary Accountability spent $21,000 to try to unseat Bonner. Bonner told The New York Times that "obviously, when the Supreme Court made their decision to open up corporate war chests, this is the result." Bonner said he believed he would survive the primary challenge because his campaign expenditures far exceed the money being spent against him. "If I hadn't had $1 million in my account, I could be underwater right now," said Bonner.[12] According to Federal Election Commission records, Bonner spent $650,000 on his re-election campaign. His three opponents spent a combined total of under $275,000. No Democratic candidates have filed to run against Bonner in the general election.[13]

Bonner won the Republican primary with 56% of the vote. He won all of the counties in the district.[14]

Tenure

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Bonner was somewhat conservative by national standards, but moderate by Alabama Republican standards. Perhaps his most notable dissension was his opposition to on-shore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals for Mobile, but went on to propose an off-shore option for the future. He pushed for Callahan's seat on the House Appropriations Committee but did not carry the support of his colleagues. Bonner hosted the Gulf Coast Congressional Report from 2003 to 2006, when the program was halted in response to an equal-time complaint by Vivian Beckerle, Bonner's opponent in the 2006 election.[15][16]

Prior to being sworn into the 108th Congress, Majority Whip Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, named Bonner an Assistant Whip. The appointment made Bonner one of a number of freshmen who were part of weekly leadership meetings with Blunt, the second-ranking member in the Republican Leadership behind only the Majority Leader. On December 14, 2005, Bonner voted for the reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act. On June 29, 2005, he voted for a $25 million increase in funding for anti-marijuana print and television ads. On October 6, 2005, he voted for the Department of Homeland Security. On July 13, 2006, he was one of thirty-three votes against renewal of the Voting Rights Act.[5]

In December 2011, Bonner voted in support of H.R. 10, the "Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act," which would have required Congressional approval for any "major regulations" issued by the executive branch but, unlike the 1996 Congressional Review Act, would not require the president's signature or override of a probable presidential veto.[17][18]

Bonner is a signer of Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge.[19]

According to the website Open Congress, Bonner votes with the Republican Party 93.5% of the time. This ranked 88th among the 242 House Republicans in 2011.[20]

Heritage Action, a conservative policy advocacy organization, reports that 55% of Bonner's votes align with Heritage's preferred policy stances.[21]

Bonner has received a 0% on the legislative scorecards for NARAL Pro-Choice America, the Human Rights Campaign, and the American Civil Liberties Union.[22] The American Conservative Union gave him an 86% evaluation in 2013.

In 2008, following Bonner's appointment to the Appropriations Committee, free-market advocacy group FreedomWorks called on Bonner to accept a personal one-year moratorium on accepting earmarks. A FreedomWorks statement said that "Representative Bonner has a long history of securing earmarks for his district, and voting in favor of egregious pork projects on the House floor."[23]

Bonner has declined to join the Tea Party Caucus, saying, "I try not to get involved in caucuses that make me look like a radical, right-wing nut. I don't think that's what the Tea Party is, but I want to avoid the appearance."[24]

In 2007, Bonner voted to increase the federal minimum wage.[25] In 2008, he voted in favor of TARP, the financial bail out package.[26] Bonner voted against Republican-supported regulations on the credit-card industry and the Cash for Clunkers program.[27] Bonner supported the Iraq war and opposed a timetable for withdrawal of American troops.[26] He supports warrantless wiretapping. Bonner supports amending the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage and he voted against repealing "Don't Ask Don't Tell."[28] In the summer of 2011, Bonner voted to raise America's debt ceiling.[29]

In March 2013, Mother Jones reported that in August 2012 Bonner and his wife took a $16,214.66 trip to a private 66,000-acre ranch in Kenya, paid for entirely by the International Conservation Caucus Foundation. The ranch is owned by members of the Wildenstein family and was the filming location of the 1985 film Out of Africa.[30] Bonner said that the trip was for the purposes of researching a link between illegal wildlife poaching and Al-Qaeda.[31]

Committee assignments

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Caucus memberships

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Bonner was a member of the Republican Study Committee until October 2011, when he dropped out of the group.[32]

Chief of Staff to the Governor of Alabama

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After Steve Pelham, the then-chief of staff to Alabama governor Kay Ivey, took a job with Auburn University, Bonner was announced as Pelham's replacement in January 2019. In a press release, Ivey said of Bonner, "Steve has been a close friend and a trusted confidant for a number of years and has provided our office with outstanding leadership."[33] Bonner officially took office as chief of staff following Ivey's inauguration for a full term as governor.[34] Bonner left the position in 2021 to become president of the University of South Alabama, and was succeeded by Liz Filmore.[35]

Academic career

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Bonner resigned from the U.S. Congress in 2013 to become the vice chancellor of government relations and economic development for the University of Alabama.[33]

In November 2021, Bonner, while serving as chief of staff to Governor Kay Ivey, was announced as the next president of the University of South Alabama, following the retirement of Tony Waldrop.[36] Bonner faced skepticism from some faculty and alumni[37] over his political background; in response, Bonner stated, "all I can ask of those who still have doubts and concerns is to meet me halfway and give us a chance to show what we can do by working together."[38] Bonner was officially inaugurated as the university's fourth president on December 2, 2021.[2] Bonner has a base salary of $525,000, over three times his congressional salary at the time of his resignation.[39]

Personal life

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Bonner is married to Janée Lambert of Mobile. They are parents of a daughter, Jennifer Lee, and a son, Josiah Robins, III. The Bonners make their home in Mobile and are members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.[6] His sister Judy served as the President of the University of Alabama from 2012 to 2015.[40]

Bonner is a member of the Reformers Caucus of Issue One.[41]

Electoral history

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Alabama's 1st congressional district Republican primary election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
[42][43]
Republican Jo Bonner 29,587 40.3
Republican Tom Young 15,087 20.3
Republican David Whetstone 10,997 14.8
Republican Albert Lipscomb 7,429 10.0
Republican Chris Pringle 6,001 8.1
Republican Rusty Glover 4,374 5.9
Republican Joe J. Gottler 411 0.6
Total votes 74,156 100.0
Alabama's 1st congressional district Republican primary runoff election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
[44]
Republican Jo Bonner 32,421 62.4
Republican Tom Young 19,501 37.6
Total votes 51,922 100.0
[45]
Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2002
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner 108,102 60.1
Democratic Judy Belk 67,507 37.5
Libertarian Dick Coffee 2,957 1.6
Write-ins 1,350 0.8
Total votes 179,916 100.0
Republican hold
[46]
Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 161,067 63.1
Democratic Judy Belk 93,938 36.8
Write-ins 159 0.1
Total votes 255,164 100.0
Republican hold
[47]
Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 112,944 68.1
Democratic Vivian Beckerle 52,770 31.82
Write-ins 127 0.08
Total votes 165,841 100.00
Republican hold
Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2008[48]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 210,660 98.27%
Write-ins 3,707 1.73%
Total votes 214,367 100.00%
Republican hold
[49][50]
Alabama's 1st congressional district Republican primary election, 2010
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 56,937 75.3
Republican Peter Gounares 18,725 24.8
Total votes 75,662 100.0
Alabama's 1st congressional district election, 2010[51]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 128,802 83.1%
Constitution David M. Walter 26,294 16.9%
Total votes 155,096 100.0%
Republican hold
[52]
Alabama's 1st congressional district Republican primary election, 2012
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 48,481 55.5
Republican Dean Young 21,216 24.3
Republican Pete Riehm 13,744 15.8
Republican Peter Gounares 3,828 4.4
Total votes 87,269 100.0
Alabama's 1st congressional district, 2012[53]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jo Bonner (incumbent) 196,374 97.9
Write-ins 4,302 2.1
Total votes 200,676 100.0
Republican hold

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Seiger, Teresa (May 23, 2013). "Rep. Jo Bonner talks about his resignation from Congress; new job at UA". al.com. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Schleisman, Nicolette (December 2, 2021). "University of South Alabama officially welcomes new president, Jo Bonner". WKRG. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  3. ^ McCutcheon, Michael; Barone, Chuck (2013). 2014 Almanac of American Politics. The University of Chicago Press.
  4. ^ "Rep. Bonner". RootsWeb. Ancestry.com.
  5. ^ a b c d "Rep. Jo Bonner (R)". National Journal Almanac. National Journal.
  6. ^ a b "Congressman Jo Bonner, Biography". Jo Bonner's Congressional Website. Archived from the original on 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2012-02-24.
  7. ^ "AL District 1 - R Primary Race - Jun 04, 2002". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  8. ^ "AL District 1 - R Runoff Race - Jun 25, 2002". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  9. ^ "AL District 01 Race - Nov 05, 2002". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  10. ^ "Candidate - Jo Bonner". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  11. ^ Alabama Press-Register "Mobile Bar polls judicial races; new candidate in AL-01 (Political Skinny)" February 13, 2012
  12. ^ New York Times, "‘Super PAC’ Increasing Congress’s Sense of Insecurity", March 8, 2012
  13. ^ Alabama Press-Register, "Rep. Jo Bonner wins GOP nomination for Alabama's 1st Congressional District", March 13, 2012
  14. ^ "AL District 01 - R Primary Race - Mar 13, 2012". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  15. ^ "Watch Gulf Coast Congressional Report Free Online". OVGuide. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  16. ^ "Notes on Mobile & Baldwin Politics & Law". Mod Mobilian. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  17. ^ Sonmez, Felicia (December 7, 2011). "REINS bill to expand congressional power over executive regulations passed by House". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 10, 2013.
  18. ^ "FreedomWorks Scorecard".
  19. ^ "The Taxpayer Protection Pledge Signers 112th Congressional List" (PDF). Americans for Tax Reform. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
  20. ^ Open Congress "Voting With Party," Accessed October 28, 2011 Archived March 18, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  21. ^ Heritage Action for America "Scorecard," Accessed March 10, 2012 Archived May 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  22. ^ The Hill "Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala., 1st) Lawmaker Scorecard," Accessed March 10, 2012
  23. ^ "FreedomWorks "FreedomWorks Calls on Rep. Jo Bonner (R-AL) to Take Personal Earmark Pledge," February 15, 2008". Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  24. ^ Talbot, George. "Talbot: Jo Bonner runs into anger during weeklong district tour", Press-Register (August 25, 2010).
  25. ^ House of Representatives Vote Results "Fair Minimum Wage Act," January 10, 2007
  26. ^ a b Washington Post "Jo Bonner (R-Ala.)," Accessed February 24, 2012
  27. ^ House of Representatives Vote Results "Credit Cardholders’ Bill of Rights Act of 2009," April 30, 2009
  28. ^ House of Representatives Vote Results "Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania Amendment No. 79," May 27, 2010
  29. ^ Al.com, "Congressional hopeful Pete Riehm wants larger federal budget cuts, including to defense", November 30, 2011
  30. ^ Hiar, Corbin (March 2013). "The Congressman, the Safari King, and the Woman Who Tried to Look Like a Cat". Mother Jones. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  31. ^ Hiar, Corbin (March 15, 2013). "Former Congressional Ethics Chair: My $16,000 African Safari Was to Research Al Qaeda". Mother Jones. Retrieved March 15, 2013.
  32. ^ "Republican Study Committee is GOP's 'circular firing squad'". Politico. October 10, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  33. ^ a b Cason, Mike (January 15, 2019). "Ivey names former Congressman Jo Bonner chief of staff". AL.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  34. ^ Poor, Jeff (January 28, 2019). "Jo Bonner: Accepting Ivey chief of staff to set up future run for office 'did not even enter into my mind'". Yellowhammer News. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  35. ^ Cason, Mike (November 16, 2021). "Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey names Liz Filmore chief of staff to replace Jo Bonner". AL.com. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  36. ^ "Jo Bonner selected as new president of the University of South Alabama". FOX 10. November 10, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  37. ^ Moon, Josh (January 3, 2022). "Opinion - Jo Bonner is a politician. Maybe that's what South Alabama needs". Alabama Political Reporter. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  38. ^ "Alabama university president to skeptics: "Meet me halfway"". Associated Press. December 5, 2021. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  39. ^ Kirby, Brendan (December 16, 2021). "Details of Jo Bonner's contract with South Alabama: $525,000 salary, car allowance and more". FOX 10. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
  40. ^ Melissa Brown, Jo Bonner to receive $350,000 in University of Alabama System position, The Birmingham News, June 12, 2013
  41. ^ "Issue One – ReFormers Caucus". Retrieved 2019-11-07.
  42. ^ "Certified Final Results 6/10/02". Secretary of State of Alabama. June 10, 2002. Archived from the original (Microsoft Excel) on March 16, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  43. ^ "Qualified Statewide Candidates" (PDF). Alabama Republican Party. April 10, 2002. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 3, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  44. ^ "Election Night Returns: Final Tally" (PDF). Alabama Republican Party. July 1, 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 2, 2013. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  45. ^ Trandahl, Jeff (May 1, 2003). "Statistics of the congressional election of November 5, 2002" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 1. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  46. ^ "Statistics of the Presidential and Congressional Election of November 2, 2006" (PDF). Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  47. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 7, 2006" (PDF). Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  48. ^ "Certified General Election Results without write-in appendix" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama. 2008-11-25. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-27. Retrieved 2008-12-03.
  49. ^ "Election Results – Republican Primary". Secretary of State of Alabama. June 11, 2010. Archived from the original (Microsoft Excel) on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  50. ^ "Amended Certification of Republican Party candidates" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama. April 13, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 5, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  51. ^ "New York Times Election Results 2010". The New York Times.
  52. ^ "Republican Primary Results - Certified" (PDF). Secretary of State of Alabama. March 23, 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 11, 2012. Retrieved April 11, 2012.
  53. ^ "Secretary of State Canvass of Results General Election November 6, 2012" (PDF).
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U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Alabama's 1st congressional district
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Ranking Member of the House Ethics Committee
2009–2011 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the House Ethics Committee
2011–2013 		Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Representative Order of precedence of the United States
as Former US Representative 		Succeeded byas Former US Representative
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