Bono, Mary, 1961-

Mary Bono (née Whitaker and formerly Mary Bono Mack, born October 24, 1961) is an American politician, businesswoman and lobbyist who served Palm Springs and most of central and eastern Riverside County, California as a Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1998 to 2013.

Born Mary Whitaker in Cleveland, Ohio, her family moved to South Pasadena, California in 1963. Whitaker graduated from the University of Southern California in 1984 with a bachelor of arts in art history. She was an accomplished gymnast in her youth and worked as a cocktail waitress during her early twenties. In 1986, she married Sonny Bono; the two moved to Palm Springs, California thereafter. Mary Bono worked as a personal fitness instructor and helped manage her husband’s businesses. From 1988 to 1992, Bono served as the first lady of Palm Springs, California, while her husband was mayor. During that time, she also served on the board of the Palm Springs International Film Festival. In 1994 Sonny Bono was elected to the U.S. House as a Republican in a district encompassing the city of Palm Springs.

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