Watson Coleman, Bonnie

Bonnie Watson Coleman has represented New Jersey's 12th Congressional District since January 2015, making her the first African-American woman elected to represent the state in the U.S. House. Born February 6, 1945, in Camden, she earned her B.A. from Thomas Edison State College in 1985. Before entering Congress, she spent over 28 years in New Jersey state government, beginning her career with the State Division on Civil Rights in the late 1960s and later serving as director of the Office of Civil Rights, Contract Compliance and Affirmative Action in the Department of Transportation. She also served eight consecutive terms in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1998 to 2015, where she held the position of Majority Leader from 2006 to 2010 and became the first African-American woman to chair the New Jersey Democratic State Committee.

In the House, Watson Coleman serves on the Appropriations Committee and Budget Committee, with assignments to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies subcommittee and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies subcommittee. She chairs the Democratic Caucus's Task Force on Poverty and serves as a House Democratic Deputy Whip for Policy. Her legislative work emphasizes protecting vulnerable populations, with sponsored bills addressing voter registration access, military healthcare benefits, data center community impacts, and international business opportunities.

Watson Coleman is a prominent member of multiple congressional caucuses, including the Congressional Progressive Caucus and Congressional Black Caucus. She co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Black Women and Girls in 2016 and the America 250 Caucus to plan activities for America's semiquincentennial in 2026. Her legislative priorities center on criminal justice reform, civil rights, women's health, and reducing poverty. She announced in November 2025 that she would not seek reelection in 2026, concluding her tenure at the end of the current Congress.