Another long-time mainstay in the Democratic Party is leaving Congress. This time, the first Black woman to represent New Jersey has announced that she will not seek reelection. Her retirement marks the end of decades of public service in the Garden State.
Bonnie Watson Coleman retires from Congress after a long political career
Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman announced Monday that she will not seek reelection after her current term ends. Coleman posted a message on social media discussing her decision.
“I made a commitment years ago to always lead the charge on behalf of those I represent, and I believe I have fulfilled that commitment to the very best of my abilities,” she said. “I have always stood on the frontlines in the fight for principled progressive policies and my work has centered on the belief that there must be a floor below which we should never allow any child, family, or person to fall.”
Having fulfilled her mission of “speaking truth to power,” the 80-year-old congresswoman said she believes that “now is the time to pass the torch to the next leader who will continue leading this charge.”
Watson Coleman comes from a political family; her father was a New Jersey state legislator. She served eight terms as a member of the New Jersey State Assembly, from 1998 until 2014, eventually becoming its speaker. She was then elected as the first Black woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she is currently serving her sixth term. She represents New Jersey’s 12th District, a solidly Democratic district that includes the state capital, Trenton, as well as the city of Princeton, home of Princeton University.
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