Politics / Labor
David Bonior
born 1945 · politician, labor advocate
Detroit-born Macomb County congressman (1977–2003) who rose to House Democratic whip and led labor's fight against NAFTA.
- Born
Detroit, Michigan
age 81- Birth name
- David Edward Bonior
- Also known as
- David E. Bonior
- Detroit years
- 1945–2003
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
David Bonior was born in Detroit in 1945 to a family of Ukrainian and Polish descent and grew up on the east side and in the suburbs, graduating in 1963 from Notre Dame High School in Harper Woods, where he starred in sports. He played football at the University of Iowa and served in the Air Force during the Vietnam era. He won a seat in the Michigan House in 1972 and in 1976 was elected to Congress from the Macomb County district north of Detroit, home to many autoworkers. He served there for 26 years, from 1977 to 2003, and from 1991 to 2002 was the House Democratic whip, the party's second- or third-ranking leader. He was the public face of the fight against the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993, arguing it would cost Michigan manufacturing jobs, and a relentless critic of Speaker Newt Gingrich. After redistricting he ran for governor in 2002, lost the primary, and later chaired American Rights at Work.
Highlights
- U.S. representative from Macomb County, 1977–2003
- House Democratic whip, 1991–2002
- Leading congressional opponent of NAFTA (1993)
- Graduate of Notre Dame High School, Harper Woods (1963)