Chris Coons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chris Coons
Official portrait, 2010
Vice Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	James Lankford
In office January 3, 2017 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by	Barbara Boxer
Succeeded by	James Lankford
Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee
In office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	James Lankford
Succeeded by	James Lankford
United States Senator from Delaware
Incumbent
Assumed office November 15, 2010 Serving with Lisa Blunt Rochester
Preceded by	Ted Kaufman
8th New Castle County Executive
In office January 4, 2005 – November 15, 2010
Preceded by	Thomas Gordon
Succeeded by	Paul Clark
President of the New Castle County Council
In office January 2, 2001 – January 4, 2005
Preceded by	Stephanie Hansen
Succeeded by	Paul Clark
Personal details
Born	Christopher Andrew Coons (1963-09-09) September 9, 1963 (age 61) Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party	Democratic (1988–present)
Other political affiliations	Republican (before 1988)
Spouse	Annie Lingenfelter ​ (m. 1996)​
Children	3
Education	Amherst College (BA) Yale University (MAR, JD)

Christopher Andrew Coons (born September 9, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician. Since 2010, he has served as a U.S. Senator for Delaware. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming a senator, Coons was the county executive for New Castle County from 2005 to 2010.

He grew up in Hockessin, Delaware. Coons earned degrees from Amherst College, Yale Divinity School, and Yale Law School. He worked as a volunteer in Kenya and for a group helping homeless people in New York. Later, he worked as a lawyer for a company in Delaware.

Coons was the president of the New Castle County Council from 2001 to 2005. He then became the county executive from 2005 to 2010. During his time as county executive, he helped balance the county's budget. He was first elected to the U.S. Senate in a special election in 2010. He won a full term in 2014 and was re-elected in 2020. Senator Coons is currently the chair of the Senate Ethics Committee. He also serves on other important committees like Appropriations and Foreign Relations.

Coons is known for working with members of both major political parties. He has co-chaired the National Prayer Breakfast and the weekly Senate Prayer Breakfast. He is a close ally of President Joe Biden. Coons became Delaware's most senior senator in January 2025.

Growing Up and School

Early Life in Delaware

Chris Coons was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. His parents were Sarah Louise and Kenelm Winslow Coons. He has English and Irish family roots. Chris grew up in Hockessin, Delaware. He went to public schools there, including Yorklyn Elementary and H.B. DuPont Middle School. His parents faced financial challenges and divorced in the mid-1970s. Chris and his two brothers lived with their mother for a few years. In 1977, his mother married Robert W. Gore, who was the president of a company called W. L. Gore and Associates.

College and Beyond

Coons graduated from the Tower Hill School, a private school. He then attended Amherst College in 1985. He earned a degree in both chemistry and political science. While in college, he was part of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He also worked as an intern for a U.S. Senator. In 1983, Coons received a Truman Scholarship, which helps students who want to work in public service.

During his third year of college, he studied in Kenya at the University of Nairobi. In 1992, he earned two advanced degrees from Yale University. He received a master's degree in ethics from Yale Divinity School and a law degree (J.D.) from Yale Law School. In 2018, Delaware State University gave Coons an honorary doctorate degree.

Early Career and Public Service

After college, Coons worked in Washington, D.C.. He wrote a book about South Africa and the movement to stop investing money there. He then volunteered for the South African Council of Churches. He also worked as a relief worker in Kenya. Later, he returned to the U.S. to work for the National Coalition for the Homeless in New York.

After finishing law school, Coons worked for a federal judge. He also worked for the National "I Have a Dream" Foundation in New York. In 1996, he moved back to Delaware. He spent eight years as a lawyer for W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. This company makes Gore-Tex fabrics and other high-tech materials. At Gore, he helped with ethics training and legal work for online business.

Coons has also worked with several nonprofit groups. These include the Coalition for the Homeless and the "I Have a Dream" Foundation. He has served on the boards of organizations like First State Innovation and the Bear/Glasgow Boys & Girls Club. He is also on the Board of Selectors for the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, which recognizes public service.

Stepping into Politics

Early Political Involvement

Chris Coons first got involved in politics by helping Republican politicians. When he was 17 in 1980, he campaigned for Ronald Reagan for president. He also worked on Bill Roth's U.S. Senate campaign in 1982. During college, he changed his political party from Republican to Democrat. In 1988, Coons became the issues director for the U.S. Senate campaign of Delaware's Democratic Lt. Gov. Shien Biau Woo. He was a delegate from Wilmington to the 1996 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

Local Elected Office

Coons's first elected job was president of the New Castle County Council. He was elected in 2000 and served for four years. Then, in 2004, he was elected county executive. He was the chosen candidate of the New Castle County Democratic Party in 2008. He was re-elected without opposition in November 2008.

During his six years as county executive, Coons balanced the county budget. He did this by cutting spending and raising some taxes. New Castle County kept a high AAA bond rating during his time in office.

Serving in the U.S. Senate

Senate Elections

2010 Special Election

Coons on the campaign trail

Chris Coons ran in the 2010 special election for a U.S. Senate seat. This seat was held by Democrat Ted Kaufman. Kaufman had been appointed after Joe Biden resigned to become Vice President. Coons ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. He was expected to face Republican Congressman Mike Castle. However, Christine O'Donnell, a Tea Party Republican, surprisingly won the Republican primary.

After O'Donnell's win, polls showed Coons with a significant lead. He was seen as the favorite to win. On election night, news sources announced that Coons had defeated O'Donnell. He won with 56.6% of the vote to her 40%.

2014 Re-election

Coons was elected to his first full term in 2014. He defeated Republican Kevin Wade and Green Party candidate Andrew Groff. Coons won 55.8% of the popular vote.

2020 Re-election

In the 2020 Democratic primary, Coons easily won against Jessica Scarane. In the general election, Coons faced Republican nominee Lauren Witzke. Coons and Witzke debated topics like the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the Black Lives Matter movement. In November, Coons defeated Witzke with 59% of the vote.

Senate Work and Key Votes

Senator Coons holding a press conference

On November 15, 2010, Vice President Joe Biden swore in Chris Coons as Delaware's new senator.

Coons has supported the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He has voted against efforts to repeal it. He believes repealing it would make prescription drugs more expensive for seniors in Delaware.

In June 2013, Coons was appointed to the important Appropriations Committee. This committee decides how government money is spent. He was the first senator from Delaware to serve on this committee in 40 years.

In October 2013, Coons helped create the Senate Chicken Caucus. This group aims to support America's chicken producers. He wants to help them grow their businesses and contribute to the economy.

In March 2014, Coons voted against President Obama's choice for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. This was a difficult vote for him. He felt the nominee would face too much opposition from law enforcement.

Coons was considered as a possible replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in 2016.

In April 2017, Coons commented on President Trump's tweets about North Korea. He said that diplomacy would not work through tweeting.

In July 2017, Coons voted for the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. This law placed sanctions on Iran, Russia, and North Korea.

In April 2018, Coons and other senators introduced new legislation. This bill aimed to limit President Trump's ability to fire special counsel Robert Mueller. The bill would allow a special counsel to have a quick review if they were fired.

2020s and Recent Events

A selfie of Chris Coons (left) and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, 2024

In November 2020, Coons was considered for Secretary of State in the Biden administration. However, President Biden told Coons he needed him to stay in the Senate. Coons is a close friend and ally of President Biden. He is also a co-chair of Biden's 2024 re-election campaign.

During the attack on the U.S. Capitol in 2021, Coons was evacuated from the Senate chambers. He described the moments as "scary and chaotic." After the attack, Coons called for Trump's removal from office. He said Trump posed a "threat to the future of our democracy."

Committee Assignments

Senator Coons serves on several important committees in the Senate:

• Select Committee on Ethics (chair)
• Committee on Appropriations
  • Subcommittee on the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (chair)
• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Committee on the Judiciary
  • Subcommittee on Intellectual Property (chair)
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Caucus Memberships

Coons is part of many different groups in the Senate called caucuses. These groups focus on specific topics. Some of the caucuses he co-chairs include:

• Senate Law Enforcement Caucus
• Senate Climate Solutions Caucus
• Senate Competitiveness Caucus
• Senate Chicken Caucus
• Senate Human Rights Caucus
• Congressional Trademark Caucus
• Senate Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Caucus
• Senate Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases

Political Views

Environment

Coons in 2017

In April 2019, Coons and other senators asked for more funding for carbon capture technology. They believe this technology can help reduce carbon emissions and create jobs.

Foreign Policy

In December 2010, Coons voted to approve New START. This is a treaty between the United States and Russia to reduce nuclear weapons.

Coons is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations committee. He strongly supports Israel. He has also spoken at events for AIPAC, a group that supports strong U.S.-Israel relations.

Coons has spoken out against the violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. He has called for a stronger response to this crisis.

In October 2018, Coons and other senators raised concerns about Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates' actions in Yemen. They questioned whether these countries were protecting civilians.

In November 2018, Coons joined other lawmakers in expressing concern about China's influence over media and schools in the U.S. They noted that China might be using financial ties to control information.

In April 2019, Coons signed a letter to President Trump. The letter encouraged Trump to continue foreign aid to Central American countries. The senators argued that this aid helps improve conditions in those countries, which can reduce migration to the U.S.

On June 6, 2021, Coons visited Taipei with other senators. They met with President Tsai Ing-wen and announced a donation of 750,000 COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan.

Other Views

• Economy: Coons supports free-trade agreements. He was against government bailouts during the Obama era.
• Housing: In April 2019, Coons supported continued funding for the Section 4 Capacity Building program. This program helps local community development groups.
• Labor: In March 2021, Coons voted against a $15/hour minimum wage amendment. In March 2023, he supported the PRO Act, which aims to protect workers' rights to form unions.
• LGBTQIA+ Rights: Coons supports transgender rights. In October 2018, he urged the Secretary of State to reverse a policy change. This change affected visas for same-sex partners of LGBTQIA+ diplomats.
• Patents: Coons proposed the Stronger Patents Act. This act would make it harder to challenge patents, making them easier to protect.

Electoral History

Personal Life

Annie and Chris Coons at the inauguration of Joe Biden in 2021

Chris Coons is married to Annie Coons. They have three children: twins Mike and Jack, and a daughter named Maggie. They live in Wilmington, Delaware. Chris is Presbyterian, and his wife is Catholic. They attend St. Ann Catholic Church. Coons has said he is "privately, fairly religious" but doesn't think it needs to be a big part of his campaigns.

In 1999, he received the Governor's Outstanding Volunteer Award. This was for his work with the "I Have a Dream" Foundation and the United Way of Delaware.

Chris Coons looks a lot like German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They even took a selfie together in February 2024 with the caption "Wer ist wer," which means "who is who" in German.

See also

In Spanish: Chris Coons para niños