Mary Bono

Who is Mary Bono?

Mary Bono is a former U.S. Representative for California's 45th congressional district, and previously the 44th, serving from 1998 to 2013. She was first elected to Congress to replace her late husband, Sonny Bono, who had died months before. She is a member of the Republican Party. Bono's district was based in Palm Springs and included most of central and eastern Riverside County. She sat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and was Chairwoman for the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade.

Bono was defeated in her bid for reelection in 2012 by Dr. Raul Ruiz. She was the sole female Republican in California's congressional delegation, which as of January 3, 2013, no longer has any Republican women.

On March 19, 2013, Bono announced she was joining Washington, D.C.-based federal affairs firm FaegreBD Consulting as a senior vice president. She focuses her government advocacy and consulting practice there on legislative, regulatory and policy matters related to the entertainment, media and information technology sectors. She also is a nationally recognized advocate for drug abuse prevention and treatment.