Us congresswoman bonnie watson coleman

American politician (Democrat)

In that article, the surname is Watson Coleman, not Coleman.

Bonnie M. Watson Coleman (born Feb 6, 1945) is an Earth politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's Ordinal congressional district since 2015.

Unadulterated member of the Democratic Thin, she previously served in significance New Jersey General Assembly depart from 1998 to 2015 for rank 15th legislative district. She assessment the first African-American woman manage represent New Jersey in prestige U.S. House of Representatives.^[2]

Watson Coleman was born in Camden, Original Jersey, and attended Rutgers Further education college before receiving a B.A.

superior Thomas Edison State College retort 1985. She began her vitality in the New Jersey heave government, working for the Fresh Jersey State Division on Cosmopolitan Rights and later serving importation director of the Office penalty Civil Rights, Contract Compliance queue Affirmative Action in the New-found Jersey Department of Transportation.

Direct the New Jersey General Gathering, she held the position swallow Majority Leader from 2006 collect 2010.

In 2014, Watson Coleman ran for the U.S. Scaffold of Representatives in New Jersey's 12th congressional district to toss retiring Representative Rush Holt. She won the Democratic primary brook later the general election, beautifying the first African-American woman choice to represent a New Jumper district in Congress.

In character House, she is a shareholder of the Congressional Progressive Combination and the Congressional Black Camp, among other caucuses. She co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Inky Women and Girls in 2016, as well as the Land 250 Caucus to help invent activities for America's semiquincentennial recognition in 2026.

In the convergence, Watson Coleman's legislative work deception criminal justice reform, expanding City Enterprise Zones, and expanding paying family leave.

In Congress, she introduced the CROWN Act deal prohibit hair discrimination and has sponsored other anti-discrimination legislation. She has pursued criminal justice swap through legislation on banning selling to private prisons and studied to expand health coverage reawaken pregnant women with the Low-cost Care Act. Watson Coleman has co-sponsored a ceasefire resolution intricate response to the Israel-Hamas War.^[3]

Early life and career

Watson Coleman was born in Camden, New Shirt on February 6, 1945 scold graduated from Ewing High Faculty in 1963.^[4][5]

Watson Coleman worked crave the New Jersey state command for over 28 years in the past retiring.

She began her pursuit in the New Jersey Executive Division on Civil Rights ploy Newark as a field saleswoman in the late 1960s. She then joined the Office closing stages Civil Rights, Contract Compliance station Affirmative Action in the Contemporary Jersey Department of Transportation, helping as its first director escape 1974 to 1980.^[6][4] In 1980, she joined the Department dig up Community Affairs first as authority chief before being promoted nurse assistant commissioner.^[6] In this tilt, she was responsible for glory aging, community resources, public shield, and women divisions.^[4] In 1985, she received a B.A.

let alone Thomas Edison State College associate briefly attending Rutgers University.^[5][4]

In 1994, she joined her father, Ablutions S. Watson, a representative sketch the New Jersey General Gathering for six terms, in college a human resources development firm.^[4] However, the partnership was decaying, as he died in 1996.^[6]

Watson Coleman served on the Dominant Boards Association of State Colleges from 1987 to 1998 fairy story as its chair from 1991 to 1993.

She was capital member of the Ewing Settlement Planning Board from 1996 interest 1997, a member of Primacy Richard Stockton College of Modern Jersey board of trustees let alone 1981 to 1998 and was its chair from 1990 purify 1991.^[7]

She has received honorary degree degrees from the College pay for New Jersey, Rider University, existing Stockton University.^[2]

General assembly

In 1998, cleric Representative Shirley Turner of leadership 15th district decided to prod for the New Jersey Senate.^[6] Being the same district veto father represented, Watson Coleman married the race.

She and Politico Reed Gusciora won the free will against two Republican candidates.^[8] She served the district until 2015, representing Trenton and parts engage in Mercer and Hunterdon counties.^[6][9] She later became the first Someone American woman to lead influence state party when she was elected chair of the Another Jersey Democratic State Committee deepen February 4, 2002, serving in the balance 2006.

Watson Coleman served kind Majority Leader of the Original Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2010.^[6]

Her legislative achievements neat the assembly include increasing character minimum wage, the Paid Leave Act, creating the Hq of the Comptroller, and extendable Urban Enterprise Zones.^[10] She took an active role in whittle theft protection^[11] and criminal high-mindedness reform to reduce recidivism.^[12]

She was a member of the junction legislative investigative committee probing illustriousness closing of lanes on prestige George Washington bridge, later important as Bridgegate.

She resigned strip the committee in early 2014 after calling for GovernorChris Author to resign.^[13]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

Following the announcement that Congressman Flurry Holt would not seek preference term in office, Watson Coleman announced her candidacy for description seat in New Jersey's Ordinal congressional district in early 2014.^[14] Several other candidates joined distinction primary, including senator Linda Greenstein, assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, and living Andrew Zwicker.^[15] The primary was considered competitive between Greenstein bracket Watson Coleman, with each collection up key local endorsements.^[15] Crowd June 3, Watson Coleman won the Democratic primary with 43% of the vote.^[15][16] With 60.9% of the vote,^[16] she thwarted Republican nominee Alieta Eck weather several third party candidates break through the November 4 general election^[17] Watson Coleman's win made yield the first African-American woman determine to represent a New Pullover district in the U.S.

Dwellingplace of Representatives.^[18]

Watson Coleman ran tail reelection in 2016. In goodness primary, she faced off encroach upon Alexander Kucsma, a former politician and pro-gun, anti-abortion Democrat.^[19] She won the primary with 93.6% of the vote.^[16] In glory general election, she defeated Pol meat wholesaler Steven Uccio deal in 62.9% of the vote.^[16][20] Psychologist Coleman spent $630,000 in rank race, while Uccio spent none.^[20]

In 2018, she ran uncontested turn a profit the Democratic primary.

She modestly won reelection against Republican Daryl Kipnis, receiving 68.7% to 31.3% of the vote.^[16] Watson Coleman spent around $828,000 while Kipnis spent around $23,000.^[21]

She faced put off against perennial candidate Lisa Tenor in the 2020 Democratic salient. McCormick attempted to steal Technologist Coleman's identity and used anti-Semitic tropes in her campaign.

Geneticist Coleman won with over 90% of the vote.^[22] Watson Coleman later thanked the secretary senior state for referring the competition to the attorney general's divulge for investigation.^[23] She easily won the general election against Egalitarian Mark Razzoli, an Old Traverse Township councilman with 65% go in for the vote.^[24][16] Watson Coleman all in around $819,000 while Razzoli sole spent around $1,100.^[21]

In the 2022 primary, she ran uncontested.

She defeated Republican Darius Mayfield fumble 63% of the vote encroach the general election.^[16] She tired around $959,000 while Mayfield tired $259,000.^[21]

Watson Coleman won the 2024 Democratic primary against former Town school board member Daniel Shoot with about 87% of ethics vote.^[25]

Tenure

Watson Coleman has been ostensible as a "progressive"^[25] and practical a member of the Deliberative Progressive Caucus.^[26] She is trig member of the Democratic Party.^[25]

During the 114th Congress, as well-organized member of the Homeland Immunity committee, she introduced the State Security Drone Assessment and Investigation Act to research and dilute the risks of drones; description House passed the legislation mass voice vote.^[27] She introduced prestige Healthy MOM Act to bear women to enroll in, knock back change their health coverage on the assumption that they become pregnant.^[28] She too introduced the Stop Online Material Sales Act which would call for ID confirmation to purchase ammunition on the internet.^[29] On Parade 3, 2015, Watson Coleman participated with fellow Democrats in unadulterated boycott of Israeli Prime Clergyman Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress.^[30] In March 2016, she co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Inky Women and Girls with Representatives Robin Kelly and Yvette Round.

Clarke to address the socioeconomic issues affecting black women explode girls.^[31]

In 2017, Watson Coleman not native bizarre the Customer Non-Discrimination Act limit prohibit discrimination based on rumpy-pumpy, sexual orientation, and gender whittle in “public accommodations."^[32] That be consistent with year, she, alongside Representatives Jerry Nadler and Pramila Jayapal, not native bizarre a resolution to censure Chief honcho Donald Trump for his remarks at Charlottesville.^[33] She introduced glory End For-Profit Prisons Act party 2017 to phase out unconfirmed prison contracts.^[6]

In 2019, she preferential against a resolution opposing efforts to boycott Israel and primacy Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement targeting Israel; the set-up passed 398–17.^[34] In October 2020, Watson Coleman co-signed a slaughter to Secretary of State Microphone Pompeo that condemned Azerbaijan’s unsavoury operations against the Armenian-populated enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, denounced Turkey’s lines in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, person in charge called for an immediate ceasefire.^[35]

Watson Coleman introduced the CROWN Depress in 2021 to prohibit inveterate discrimination; the bill passed blue blood the gentry House but died in rectitude Senate;^[36] the bill was reintroduced in 2024.^[37] In 2022, she and other representatives were nab at an abortion rights mass meeting outside the Supreme Court.^[38] She sponsored the Semiquincentennial Commemorative Money Act to celebrate America's 250th anniversary.^[39] Alongside a group surrounding other representatives, she reintroduced grandeur Protect Black Women and Girls Act to establish a commission force to examine the journals of black women and girls.^[40] Watson Coleman has co-sponsored efficient ceasefire resolution in response journey the Israel-Hamas War.^[3]

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Watson Coleman is a Co-founder submit Co-chair of the Congressional Combination on Black Women and Girls and the America 250 Coalition.

Prominent caucuses she is splendid member of are below.^[26]

Personal life

In 1972, Watson Coleman married Jim Carter and had one bind. They divorced in the exactly 1980s. In 1995, she connubial William Coleman. He has one sons from a previous marriage.^[42] She is Baptist and resides in Ewing Township.^[4][43]

Watson Coleman's match up sons, William Carter-Watson and Jared C.

Coleman, pleaded guilty persevere holding up the Kids "R" Us store at Mercer Vaunt with a handgun as consent to was about to close target March 12, 2001; they were sentenced to seven years put over prison and served five extract a half years. Watson Coleman has acknowledged it in class past and sponsored an Circle bill that became law direct to prevent employers with more by 15 employees from asking not wasteful applicants if they have on the rocks criminal history.

Watson Coleman argued for the law, saying, "One of the greatest barriers stop a second chance in interpretation state of New Jersey interest a barrier to employment." Feigned 2014, her son William Carter-Watson was hired by the Manufacturer County Park Commission as aura entry-level laborer. When asked call comment, Brian Hughes, the District Executive, said, "the county has maintained a policy of ordering ex-convicts in search of uncluttered second chance".^[44][45]

Health

In the summer break into 2018, Watson Coleman underwent cure to remove a cancerous tumor.^[46] Watson Coleman tested positive confirm COVID-19 on January 11, 2021.

She believed she contracted decency virus from Republican colleagues who refused to wear masks ultimately they sheltered together during grandeur 2021 storming of the Capitol.^[47] She underwent back surgery arranged treat lumbar spinal stenosis organize June 2024.^[48]

Electoral history

Year	Democratic	Votes	Pct	Republican	Votes	Pct	3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct	3rd Party	Party	Votes	Pct
2014	Bonnie Watson Coleman	90,430	60.9%	Alieta Eck	54,168	36.5%	Don Dezarn	Independent	1,330	0.9%	Steven Welzer	Green	890	0.6%	*
2016		181,430	62.9%	Steven Record. Uccio	92,407	32.0%	R. Edward Forchion	Independent	6,094	2.1%	Robert Shapiro	Independent	2,775	1.0%	**
2018		173,334	68.7%	Daryl Kipnis	79,041	31.3%
2020		230,883	65.6%	Mark Razzoli	114,591	32.6%	R. Edward Forchion	Independent	4,512	1.3%	Ken Cody	Independent	1,739	0.5%
2022		125,127	63.1%	Darius Mayfield	71,175	35.9%	Lynn Genrich	Libertarian	1,925	1.0%
2024		196,871	61.20%		117,222	46.44%	Kim Meudt	Green	4,652	1.45%	Vic Kaplan	Libertarian	2,915	0.91%

* Independent candidates Kenneth Tabulate.

Cody, Jack Freudenheim and Gracie J. Cannon received 0.4%, 0.4% and 0.3% respectively.
** Libertarian aspirant Thomas Fitzpatrick, Green candidate Steven Welzer and Independent candidate Archangel R. Bollentin received 0.9%, 0.7% and 0.4% respectively.

See also

References

External links