Chris Coons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Coons
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Coons in 2022
|
|
| Vice Chair of the Senate Ethics Committee | |
| 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 |
|
| 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
September 9, 1963 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) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Christopher Andrew Coons (born September 9, 1963) is an American lawyer and politician. He is a U.S. Senator for Delaware, a role he has held since 2010. 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.
Coons grew up in Hockessin, Delaware. He went to Amherst College and later earned graduate degrees from Yale Divinity School and Yale Law School. He worked as a volunteer in Kenya and for a homeless coalition in New York. He also spent eight years as a lawyer for a materials manufacturing company in Delaware.
He was the president of the New Castle County Council from 2001 to 2005. Then, he became the county executive for New Castle County. He managed the county's money well, even achieving a budget surplus in 2010. Coons won the special election for the U.S. Senate in 2010. He defeated Christine O'Donnell. He was re-elected for a full term in 2014 and again in 2020.
Coons is currently the chair of the Senate Ethics Committee. He also serves on other important committees, including Appropriations, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship. In January 2025, Coons became Delaware's senior senator.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Chris Coons was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. His parents were Sarah Louise and Kenelm Winslow Coons. He 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. In 1977, his mother married Robert W. Gore, who was the President of W. L. Gore and Associates.
Coons graduated from Tower Hill School. He then attended Amherst College, earning a degree in chemistry and political science in 1985. While in college, he was part of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He also interned for a U.S. Senator. In 1983, he received a Truman Scholarship. During his third year of college, he studied in Kenya at the University of Nairobi. In 1992, he earned two master's degrees from Yale Divinity School and Yale Law School. In 2018, Delaware State University gave him an honorary doctorate.
Professional Career
After college, Coons worked in Washington, D.C., for a research center. He wrote a book about South Africa and the U.S. divestment movement. He also volunteered for the South African Council of Churches and 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 in 1992, Coons worked as a legal clerk for Judge Jane Richards Roth. He then worked for the National "I Have a Dream" Foundation. In 1996, he moved back to Delaware. He spent eight years as a lawyer for W.L. Gore & Associates, a company known for Gore-Tex. There, he helped with ethics training and legal work for the company.
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 boards for organizations like First State Innovation and the Bear/Glasgow Boys & Girls Club.
Early Political Career
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 Senate campaign in 1982. During college, he changed his political party from Republican to Democrat. In 1988, he became the issues director for a Democratic Senate campaign in Delaware. He was also a delegate for the 1996 Democratic National Convention. He interned in the Senate office of Joe Biden, who later became Vice President. Coons would eventually hold Biden's former Senate seat.
Coons was first elected to public office in 2000. He became the president of the New Castle County Council. He served for four years. In 2004, he was elected as the county executive. He was re-elected without opposition in 2008. As county executive, Coons balanced the budget and achieved a surplus in 2010. He did this by cutting spending and raising some taxes. New Castle County kept a high AAA bond rating during his time in office.
U.S. Senate
Senate Elections
2010 Election
Chris Coons ran in the 2010 special election for the U.S. Senate. This seat was previously held by Ted Kaufman, who was appointed after Joe Biden became Vice President. Coons did not face any opponents in the Democratic primary. He was expected to run against Republican Mike Castle. However, Christine O'Donnell, a Tea Party Republican, surprisingly won the Republican primary.
After O'Donnell's primary win, polls showed Coons with a significant lead. He won the election with 56.6% of the vote, while O'Donnell received 40%.
During the campaign, an article Coons wrote in college in 1985 caused some discussion. It was titled "Chris Coons: The Making of a Bearded Marxist." In the article, he described how his experiences in Kenya and studying with a Marxist professor helped him change from a Republican to a Democrat. Coons's campaign said the title was a joke and that his time abroad made him rethink his views. Coons said voters were more interested in current issues like jobs and the national debt.
2014 Election
Coons was elected to his first full term in the Senate in 2014. He defeated Republican Kevin Wade and Green Party candidate Andrew Groff. Coons won with 55.8% of the popular vote.
2020 Election
In 2020, Coons easily won the Democratic primary against Jessica Scarane. In the general election, he faced Republican Lauren Witzke. Coons won the election with 59% of the vote, while Witzke received 38%.
Senate Work
On November 15, 2010, Coons was sworn in as a U.S. Senator. Vice President Joe Biden, who used to hold Coons's Senate seat, performed the ceremony.
Coons has supported the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). He has voted against efforts to repeal it. He believes that repealing it would make prescription drugs more expensive for seniors.
In June 2013, Coons was appointed to the important Appropriations Committee. This was the first time a senator from Delaware had served 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.
In December 2013, Coons introduced a bill to reauthorize the Victims of Child Abuse Act.
In March 2014, Coons voted against a nomination for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. He said it was a difficult decision, but he was concerned about the nominee facing strong opposition from law enforcement.
In February 2016, Coons was considered as a possible replacement for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
In April 2018, Coons, along with other senators, introduced new legislation. This bill aimed to limit the President's ability to fire a special counsel, like Robert Mueller. The bill would allow a special counsel to have a quick court review if they were dismissed.
2020s Work
In November 2020, Coons was considered for Secretary of State in the Biden administration. However, President Biden chose Antony Blinken instead, telling Coons he needed him to stay in the Senate. Coons is a close ally of President Biden.
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 President Trump's removal from office. He said Trump posed a threat to democracy.
Committee Assignments
Coons serves on several important Senate committees:
- Select Committee on Ethics (Ranking Member)
- 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 groups in the Senate that focus on specific topics. Some of these include:
- Senate Law Enforcement Caucus (co-chair)
- Senate Climate Solutions Caucus (co-chair)
- Senate Chicken Caucus (co-chair)
- Senate Human Rights Caucus (co-chair)
- Senate Oceans Caucus
- Rare Disease Caucus
- Congressional Coalition on Adoption
Political Views
Environment
Coons supports funding for carbon capture technology. This technology aims to reduce carbon emissions. He believes investing in it can create jobs. In June 2023, Coons sponsored the PROVE IT Act. This act would gather data on greenhouse gas emissions from goods made in different countries. This data could help with trade policies related to environmental standards.
Gun Law
Coons has a low rating from the National Rifle Association of America due to his support for gun control. He has asked for executive action on gun control. He supported banning known terrorists from buying firearms. He also participated in a Chris Murphy gun control filibuster to push for stricter gun laws.
Foreign Policy
In December 2010, Coons voted for New START. This treaty reduces nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia. Coons is a strong supporter of Israel. He is also a co-sponsor of a Senate resolution that objects to a UN Security Council Resolution because it affects direct talks between parties.
Coons has spoken out against the genocide of the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar. He 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 protecting civilians in Yemen. They questioned whether these countries were following U.S. laws on arms sales.
In November 2018, Coons joined other lawmakers in expressing concern about China's influence on U.S. media and schools. They stated that China might be using financial ties to control information.
In April 2019, Coons encouraged President Trump to continue foreign aid to Central American countries. He argued that this aid helps reduce migration to the U.S. by improving conditions in those countries.
In June 2021, Coons visited Taipei, Taiwan, with other senators. They announced President Joe Biden's plan to donate COVID-19 vaccines to Taiwan.
In January 2024, Coons opposed a resolution that would have applied human rights provisions to U.S. military aid to Israel. In March 2024, Coons urged the Biden administration to recognize a "nonmilitarized" Palestinian state after the Gaza war.
Fiscal Position
Coons supports free-trade agreements. He was against government bailouts during the Obama era. He is also against right-to-work laws and supports internet sales tax.
Housing
In April 2019, Coons signed a letter supporting the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 4 program. This program helps local community development organizations. He expressed disappointment that the program was slated for elimination.
Labor
.jpg)
In May 2018, Coons urged the Federal Labor Relations Authority not to close its regional offices. He argued that closing them would make it harder to protect federal employees' rights.
On March 5, 2021, Coons voted against an amendment to include a $15/hour minimum wage in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. In March 2023, Coons co-sponsored the PRO Act. This act aims to protect workers' rights to organize.
LGBT Rights
In October 2018, Coons urged the Secretary of State to reverse a policy change. This change affected visas for same-sex partners of LGBTQIA+ diplomats. He argued that refusing these visas would support discriminatory policies. Coons supports transgender rights.
Personal Life
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. Coons is Presbyterian, and his wife is Catholic. They attend St. Ann Catholic Church. Coons describes himself as a private person when it comes to his religion.
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.
Coons looks very similar to German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They even took a selfie together in February 2024 with the caption "Wer ist wer" (German for "who is who").
See also
In Spanish: Chris Coons para niños
