Preceded by Rush D. Holt, Jr. Political party Democratic Spouse William Coleman (m. 1995) Religion Baptist Parents John S. Watson | Name Bonnie Coleman Full Name Bonnie Watson Role U.S. Representative Children William Carter-Watson | |
 | ||
Office United States Representative since 2015 Profiles | ||
Second Amendment advocate confrontation with U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman
Bonnie Watson Coleman (born February 6, 1945) is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served as the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district since 2015. She previously served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2015 for the 15th Legislative District. She is the first black woman in Congress from New Jersey.
Contents
- Second Amendment advocate confrontation with US Rep Bonnie Watson Coleman
- Barbara buono on bonnie watson coleman
- Early life and career
- Election
- Tenure
- Committee assignments
- Advocacy
- References
Barbara buono on bonnie watson coleman
Early life and career
Watson Coleman was born in Camden, New Jersey. She received a B.A. from Thomas Edison State College in 1985, and attended Rutgers University. Raised Baptist, she currently resides in Ewing Township.
She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.
In 1974, she established the first Office of Civil Rights, Contract Compliance and Affirmative Action, in the New Jersey Department of Transportation and remained the Director of that office for six years. In 1980, Watson Coleman joined the Department of Community Affairs, where she held a number of positions including, Assistant Commissioner, responsible for Aging, Community Resources, Public Guardian and Women Divisions.
She served on the Governing Boards Association of State Colleges from 1987 to 1998 and as its chair from 1991 to 1993. Watson Coleman was a member of the Ewing Township Planning Board from 1996 to 1997. She was a member of The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey Board of Trustees from 1981 to 1998 and was its chair from 1990 to 1991.
Watson Coleman became the first African American woman to lead the State party when she was elected Chair of the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, on February 4, 2002.
Watson Coleman served as the Majority Leader of the New Jersey General Assembly from 2006 to 2010, as well as the New Jersey Democratic State Chairwoman from 2002 to 2006.
Election
Following the announcement that Congressman Rush Holt would not be seeking another term in office, Bonnie Watson Coleman announced her intention to run for New Jersey's 12th congressional district. Assemblywoman Watson Coleman is the first African -American woman elected to represent a New Jersey district in the United States House of Representatives and is currently the only female member of New Jersey's congressional delegation.
On June 3, 2014, she won the Democratic primary for the 12th congressional district. She won the general election on November 4, 2014, defeating Republican candidate Alieta Eck. She won 60.9% of the vote.
Tenure
On March 3, 2015, Coleman participated with fellow Democrats in the boycott of the speech delivered by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Congress.
In March 2016, Coleman, along with Rep. Robin Kelly and Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, founded the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls. "Black women and girls are disproportionately affected by myriad socioeconomic issues that diminish their quality of life and threaten the well-being of their families and communities. The Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls gives black women a seat at the table for the crucial discussion on the policies that impact them while also providing a framework for creating opportunities and eliminating barriers to success for black women," they announced in a press release at the time. They were inspired by the #SheWoke Committee, a group of 7 activists that reached out to lawmakers and staffers to start.
She co-sponsored the International Megan's Law, to combat child exploitation and other sex crimes abroad. President Barack Obama signed the bill into law in February 2016.
Committee assignments
Advocacy
Watson Coleman has been a strong supporter of programs allowing criminal offenders to reenter society. As a New Jersey Assemblywoman, she sponsored a bill that bars companies with more than 15 employees from conducting criminal background checks on candidates during the interview process. Watson Coleman's two sons, William Carter-Watson and Jared C. Coleman, were sentenced to seven years in jail after holding up the Kids-R-Us store at Mercer Mall with a rifle as it was about to close on March 12, 2001. Watson-Coleman refuses to discuss the incident. Watson Coleman has also introduced legislation to restrict the ownership of weapons such as the ones used by her sons during their crime.