Chris Coons has represented Delaware in the U.S. Senate since 2010, first elected in a special election to fill the seat long held by Joe Biden. Before the Senate, he served as New Castle County Executive, focusing on fiscal management, policing, land use, and services.
Born September 9, 1963, in Greenwich, Connecticut, Coons earned degrees from Amherst College, Yale Divinity School, and Yale Law School. His background blends law, public service, and nonprofit work — including time as in-house counsel for a Delaware materials company and work on homelessness and housing.
In the Senate, Coons has carved out a lane as an establishment-aligned dealmaker. He’s known for foreign policy work, judicial issues, and science and tech competitiveness. He frequently acts as a bridge between moderates and progressives, and is considered one of President Biden’s closest allies in the chamber.
Establishment Democrat
Achievements
- Senior voice on Senate Foreign Relations and Judiciary Committees
- Helped craft bipartisan legislation on science, research, and tech/innovation funding
- Advocated for judicial integrity, voting rights, and rule of law protections
- Supports workforce training and STEM pipelines to keep advanced industry in the U.S.
- Active in diplomacy / foreign aid conversations, positioning Delaware as globally engaged despite its size
Controversies
- Criticized by progressives for being too moderate on taxes, healthcare, and military aid votes
- Scrutiny over corporate, finance, and pharma-aligned donors
- Seen at times as too close to White House positions rather than movement left priorities
- Foreign policy hawks say he’s still too cautious; left-wing critics say he’s too hawkish — he gets hit from both sides
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Young, Conaway et al | $100,300 | $100,300 | $0 |
| Apollo Global Management | $85,600 | $85,600 | $0 |
| Jane Street Capital | $64,000 | $64,000 | $0 |
| K&L Gates | $41,605 | $32,105 | $9,500 |
| Amgen Inc | $39,300 | $26,800 | $12,500 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Recent Elections
2010 Margin D +17%
2014 Margin D +13%
2020 Margin D +19%