Chris Coons
Chris Coons is a Democratic U.S. Senator representing Delaware, having first been elected in November 2010 and subsequently reelected in 2014 and 2020. Born on September 9, 1963, in Greenwich, Connecticut, Coons grew up in Hockessin, Delaware, where he attended a private preparatory school. He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and political science from Amherst College and has earned two graduate degrees from Yale University—one from the divinity school and another from the law school. Before entering politics, Coons worked in the nonprofit sector and provided legal counsel to various organizations.
His political career began at the local level, where he served as president of the New Castle County Council and then as county executive. As a senator, Coons is known for his liberal stance, advocating for pro-choice policies, LGBTQ+ rights, and gun control. He has also been a prominent voice for immigration reform, particularly in defense of the DREAMers and the DACA program. Coons has actively participated in legislative efforts, such as introducing a bill to protect artists' rights in the context of artificial intelligence. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware, with his wife and three children.
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Chris Coons.
Democrat Chris Coons was elected to represent Delaware in the US Senate in November 2010, and he was reelected in 2014 and 2020. Coons worked as a lawyer and in the nonprofit sector before becoming involved in public service.
Christopher Andrew Coons was born on September 9, 1963, in Greenwich, Connecticut. He grew up in Hockessin, Delaware, graduating from the Tower Hill School, a private preparatory school, in 1981. In 1985, Coons graduated with a bachelor's degree in chemistry and political science from Amherst College. After studying for a time in Kenya, he earned two graduate degrees from Yale University, one from the divinity school and one from the law school.
After finishing his education, Coons took a position with the Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC) Institute in Washington, DC. Over the next several years, he provided legal counsel to several nonprofit organizations, including the "I Have a Dream" Foundation and the Boys & Girls Club. He also worked for the Delaware-based fabric company W.L. Gore & Associates and the Delaware College of Art and Design.
In 2000, Coons was elected as president of the New Castle County Council. He was elected as the county executive of New Castle County in 2004. Coons remained county executive until 2010 when, in May of that year, he officially announced his candidacy in the 2010 Delaware Senate race. Politically liberal, Coons is pro-choice, a supporter of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ+) rights, and pro-gun control. Coons has been a vocal supporter of immigration reform, speaking up for the DREAMers and fighting against Republican attempts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Coons faced Republican Party challenger Christine O'Donnell in the 2010 Delaware Senate election. He won the election by a wide margin, earning over 56 percent of the total vote. He assumed office on November 15, 2010. In 2014, Coons defeated Republican challenger Kevin Wade. In the 2020 election, Coons was once again reelected to a six-year term, defeating Republican Lauren Witzke.
In July 2024, after President Joe Biden announced he was ending his bid for reelection, Coons—who once served as then-Senator Biden's internspoke highly of Biden and his legacy. During the same year, Coons and other senators introduced the Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act. If passed into law, it would protect artists from having their work reproduced by artificial intelligence (AI) without their consent.
Coons and his wife, Annie, have three children and were living in Wilmington, Delaware.
Bibliography
"Issues." Chris Coons, 2023, www.chriscoons.com/issues/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
"Meet Chris.' Chris Coons, 2023, www.chriscoons.com/issue/immigration/. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
Nawaz, Amna. "Sen. Coons Reflects on Biden’s Presidency and ‘Selfless’ Decision to Step Aside." PBS News, 19 Aug. 2024, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/sen-coons-reflects-on-bidens-presidency-and-selfless-decision-to-step-aside. Accessed 17 Oct. 2024.
"Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, Tillis Introduce Bill to Protect Individuals’ Voices and Likenesses from AI-generated Replicas." Chris Coons, 31 July 2024, www.coons.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-coons-blackburn-klobuchar-tillis-introduce-bill-to-protect-individuals-voices-and-likenesses-from-ai-generated-replicas. Accessed 23 Oct. 2024.