Early life
She was born Mary Whitaker in Cleveland, Ohio, but moved to South Pasadena, California, in 1963. She worked her way through the University of Southern California, graduating in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History.
Personal life
In 1986, Bono Mack married singer and actor Sonny Bono and moved to Palm Springs. In his biography, The Beat Goes On, Sonny said "When I wrote songs I always knew if I was on to something that was great. I could just tell. I felt that way about being with Mary. I knew it was great." Soon after, Sonny Bono became interested in politics, serving as Mayor of Palm Springs (1988-92) and being elected to Congress (1994). When reflecting about his marriage and family, Sonny said, "I've never been happier. For the first time I feel free to really love someone and to be a great father." Due to Sonny Bono's commitment to Scientology at the time, Mary Bono took some Scientology courses together with her husband but soon decided it was not for her.
Sonny Bono died in a skiing accident on January 5, 1998. Mary won the Republican nomination for the special election to succeed him. She then won in the special election April 7, 1998. She won a full term in November and has been re-elected since. As of 2007, Bono was one of six representatives to be elected to their seats following the deaths of their husbands—Lindy Boggs (D-LA), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Lois Capps (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Sala Burton (D-CA).
In 2001, Bono married Wyoming businessman Glenn Baxley about 18 months after they met in Mexico. They filed for divorce in 2005 On December 15, 2007, Mary married Congressman Connie Mack IV (R-FL) in Asheville, North Carolina.
Bono has a son, Chesare Elan Bono (born 1988), and a daughter, Chianna Maria Bono (born 1991), from her marriage to Sonny Bono. She has four stepchildren: Christy Bono, Chaz Bono, Addison Mack, and Connie Mack. In addition to spending time with her family, Mary enjoys a wide range of interests including music and outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. In the April 2008 edition of Golf for Women magazine, she was listed as "one of the 50 most powerful women who play" golf.
While enjoying her love of the outdoors, the Congresswoman attended a lecture by the noted mountaineer-turned-humanitarian Greg Mortenson. Bono Mack worked with Mortenson to open doors in Washington, D.C., to aid his efforts to build schools for girls in the mountainous regions of Pakistan. Bono Mack is quoted in Mortenson's book Three Cups of Tea as saying "I've learned more from Greg Mortenson about the causes of terrorism than during all our briefings on Capitol Hill".
Bono Mack is known for her dedication to physical fitness; she was an accomplished gymnast in her youth.
Congressional career
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| Earlier photo of Mary Bono, c. 2005 |
The 45th had long been a Republican stronghold but has become much more Democratic in recent years; it currently has a Cook Partisan Voting Index of R+3. While Moreno Valley and Palm Springs have a slight Democratic tilt, Palm Desert is strongly conservative. Her district includes the highest percentage of gays and lesbians of any district represented by a Republican.
Bono Mack followed the Republican Party line 89% of the time according to Congressional Quarterly. In 2004, she earned an 84% approval rating from the Christian Coalition of America, but this fell to 33% in 2008. In 1999, she voted in favor of the Largent Amendment, to ban adoption by same-sex couples in Washington, D.C. Bono has, however, voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment twice.
Some of the congresswoman's legislative history includes a bill that calls for country-of-origin labeling for fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as several energy-saving bills to reward companies for utilizing clean burning fuel technologies and increase the energy-efficiency of federal buildings. In 2000, Bono Mack succeeded in passing legislation that established the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument in the Palm Springs region. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed Bono Mack’s Securely Protect Yourself Against Cyber Trespass (SPY ACT), which would protect an individual’s personal information on the Web. Also, Bono Mack has sponsored legislation that provides funding for obesity studies and improved nutrition programs nationwide, autism research, and Federal funding under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Act.
Bono Mack was a leading proponent of the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, the so-called Mickey Mouse Law, which extended the terms of copyright. Giving a speech on the floor of Congress in favor of the bill, Bono said:
Actually, Sonny wanted the term of copyright protection to last forever. I am informed by staff that such a change would violate the Constitution. . . . As you know, there is also Motion Picture Association of America president Jack Valenti's proposal for the term to last forever less one day. Perhaps the Committee may look at that next Congress.
She won her sixth term in 2008 with 58% of the vote, down slightly from 60.7% in 2006.
In December 2010, Bono Mack was one of fifteen Republican House members to vote in favor of repealing the United States military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ban on openly homosexual service members.
Bono Mack has received numerous awards from such organizations as Americans for Tax Reform, National Federation of Independent Businesses, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the SunLine Transit Agency for her support of alternative fuel technologies. She is also a signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.
Committee assignments
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade (Chairwoman)
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Subcommittee on Environment and Economy
Congressional Hispanic Conference {associate member}
Republican Main Street Partnership
Caucus memberships
America Supports You Caucus
Intellectual Property Promotion and Piracy Prevention Caucus (Co-Chair)
International Conservation Caucus
Recording Arts and Sciences Caucus (Co-Chair)
Media coverage
Bono Mack has been the subject of numerous profiles for a wide array of publications and television shows, including People, Capital Style, Elle, Entertainment Tonight, Esquire, George, Good Housekeeping, Hello!, Ladies' Home Journal, and PBS. In 1998, Bono Mack was named one of the Most Fascinating Women of 1998 by Ladies' Home Journal magazine in conjunction with CBS Television. She was also selected by the former George magazine as one of the 20 most fascinating women in politics. In 2008, she was named the "Seventh Hottest Politician in the World" by Maxim.
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