MARY BONO LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN.Byline: Larry Gerber Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Telling voters ``this is what Sonny would want me to do,'' Mary Bono Mary Whitaker Bono is an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1998, representing the 45th District of California (map) which includes most of central and eastern Riverside County. toured her late husband's congressional district Noun 1. congressional district - a territorial division of a state; entitled to elect one member to the United States House of Representatives district, territorial dominion, territory, dominion - a region marked off for administrative or other purposes Monday to begin a special election campaign for his seat less than a month after his death. Encouraged to run by Republican leaders, Bono said she had given the matter careful thought in the weeks since her husband's Jan. 5 death in a skiing accident. ``Actually, the children were the only consideration that I had,'' she told reporters at Sunnymeadows Elementary School elementary school: see school. . ``If I know that I can do this job and be a good mother to my children, I'm happy to run.'' Her son, Chesare, is 9; her daughter, Chianna, celebrated her seventh birthday Sunday. Bono said relatives from her family and Bono's assured her they would take good care of the children. An April 7 special election will be held for the remaining months of the two-year term from the 44th Congressional District, a desert expanse that stretches from the Colorado River Colorado River River, south-central Argentina. Its major headstreams, the Grande and Barrancas rivers, flow southward from the Andes Mountains and meet to form the Colorado near the Chilean border. It flows southeastward across northern Patagonia and the southern Pampas. on the east to bedroom and retirement communities like Moreno Valley Moreno Valley (mərē`nō), city (1990 pop. 118,779), Riverside co., S Calif., inc. 1984. In 1990, Moreno Valley was California's fastest-growing city, with a population increase of more than 300% between 1980 and 1990, but major reductions , 60 miles east of Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. . The school visit was low-key. Some pupils eyed a crowd of television cameras outside the principal's office while others played ball, ignoring the visitors. Bono got to the microphone without a copy of her speech, which was supplied by an aide. Then when she started to speak, a recess bell cut her off. ``You guys, I am being put through a test here,'' she said to laughter. ``I know I can pass, so bear with me.'' Morris Jackson, who was picking up his son from kindergarten, said he supported Sonny Bono Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (January 16 1935 – January 5 1998) was an American record producer, singer, actor, and politician whose career spanned over three decades. and would support Mary Bono if she was as school friendly as her husband. With one son finishing high school and another just starting grade school, Morris said support for education was the main thing he wanted to hear. ``It seems like every year the parents have to put more money into school, into supplies or whatever,'' he said. ``I know many families worry about what the future will hold because they just haven't been able to save for retirement or college,'' Bono said. ``Believe me, I am just now learning the difficult choices that single, working parents must make.'' The Republican Party favorite, Bono faces competition from both parties. Her five declared opponents include actor Ralph Waite Ralph Waite (born June 22, 1928) is an Emmy Award-nominated American actor. His most famous role may be John Walton Sr. on the 1970s CBS program The Waltons. He also more recently appeared on the HBO series Carnivàle. , Papa in ``The Waltons'' 1970s television series. Waite must straighten out a registration tangle in order to qualify as a Democrat. He lost a 1990 contest to Bono's predecessor. The April 7 contest is a ``jungle primary'' with candidates from all parties on one ballot. If no candidate wins a majority, the top finisher from each party gets on a special general election ballot. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO Mary Bono, on a rock-climbing wall at a birthday party for her daughter, Chianna, is seeking Sonny Bono's congressional seat. Associated Press |
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