James Bonham

James J. Bonham is Managing Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy in the Washington office of Steptoe & Johnson LLP. As an advocate on behalf of his clients to Members of the House of Representatives and the US Senate, Mr. Bonham has been involved in a broad range of the most critical issues addressed by the Congress in recent years. He advises several Fortune 100 companies and CEOs on policy and political strategies, legislative affairs, coalition development and management, and media relations. An experienced Democratic political and legislative strategist, Mr. Bonham has extensive experience working on Capitol Hill and advising the Democratic Party as well as individual candidates and elected officials. From 2002 – 2005, he served as Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee – the highest ranking campaign official helping Democrats build a majority in the House of Representatives. Mr. Bonham led a major transformation of the organization that had been prompted by frustration at the ballot box and the first major overhaul of federal campaign finance law in three decades. Appointed by Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and the late Rep. Robert Matsui (D-CA), he oversaw the growth of committee fundraising from $36 million in federal election funds to $100 million in federal election funds in two years. He led three special election campaign victories, including multiple take-overs of heavily favored Republican-held seats. Serving in these roles, Mr. Bonham was a key leader in nationwide efforts to build a Democratic Majority in the US House of Representatives. Mr. Bonham‘s experience also includes more than a decade of top level Congressional experience. He was cited in the media as one of the 50 most influential Congressional aides of either party. He served in multiple positions - including Chief of Staff – to the late Rep. Robert Matsui, a 26 year member of the powerful House Ways & Means Committee and member of the House Democratic Leadership. In other important positions, Mr. Bonham also served as Communications Director for Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) and the Senate Energy Committee minority. Mr. Bonham was founder and President of the Blue Donkey Group, Inc., a political and public affairs consulting firm with an 80% win rate in political campaigns nationwide and also served as the senior Capitol Hill strategist for a Washington, DC law firm.