Champion worked as an assistant
Minnesota attorney general under
Skip Humphrey and
Mike Hatch, and as an attorney for a legal rights center. He also worked with
Flyte Tyme Productions and co-founded and directed the
Grammy-nominated Excelsior Choir. He was executive director of the Midwest chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors and program director for Social Spaces with Stairstep Initiative. In the 2023 legislative session, Champion pushed for changes to Minnesota's juvenile probation program. On January 27, 2026, Champion was struck by liquid sprayed by a man at a
Ilhan Omar townhall event.
Minnesota House of Representatives Champion was elected to the House in 2008, unseating first-term incumbent
Augustine Dominguez. He was reelected in 2010.
Minnesota Senate In 2012, Champion was elected to the
Minnesota Senate, defeating
Republican Jim Lilly, 82%–18%. He was reelected to the Senate in 2016, defeating challenger
Jennifer Carnahan. Champion was also reelected in 2020 and 2022. In 2022, he was chosen to serve as president of the Senate by his caucus. He is the first African-American to hold this position. Champion also chairs the Committee on Jobs and Economic Development. ==References==