On February 3, 1929, he married Josephine Martin, and had five children, Jo, Jackie, Billie, Pat, and Tom, with her.

He resigned as attorney general to join the U.S. Army as a Major, during World War II.

Bonner ran for re-election in 1952, and he was narrowly defeated by State Senator J. Hugo Aronson.

He ran for governor again in 1956, but lost the Democratic primary to Arnold Olsen, who ended up losing to Aronson in the general election.

In 1960, when United States senator James E. Murray opted not to run for re-election, Bonner ran to succeed him, but, in a crowded primary, was defeated by Congressman Lee Metcalf, who would go on to serve in the United States Senate for three terms.