US Federal Government Directory › NJ delegation › Bonnie Watson Coleman
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Representative · NJ · District 12
Democrat
142K followers (office + personal) · missed 1.3% of votes
Top contributing industries: Labor Unions ($55,000), Education ($20,000), not mapped ($20,000), Leadership PAC ($20,000), Technology ($10,000)
Bonnie Watson Coleman is a Democratic U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 12th district. She has served 11.7 years in Congress; the seat is on the ballot in 2026, but Coleman is not running for it. She has 142K followers across office and personal social accounts, sponsored 53 bills in the 119th Congress, scored 0.54 on the 118th Legislative Effectiveness Score.
Background and career
Bonnie Marie Watson Coleman (born February 6, 1945) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 12th congressional district since 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, Watson Coleman is the first African-American woman to represent New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Education
| School | Degree | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers University, Camden | attended | source | |
| Thomas Edison State University | BA | source |
Career before Congress
| Role | Organization | Years | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| he died in 1996 | John S. Watson | source |
Citizenship
citizen by birth in the United States.
Religion
Baptist
Name history and family
Birth name: Bonnie Marie Watson · Children: 3 · Marriages: 1 ·
Previously held offices
- Member of the New Jersey General Assembly (1998–2014)
Campaign fundraising
Raised $955,740 in the 2024 cycle and Not listed so far in the 2026 cycle (partial).
Top individual donors, 2024
| Name | Employer | Occupation | City/State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WISER, FORWOOD | EDG | ENGINEER | MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ | $6,600 |
| ELLIS, YVONNE D. | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | EWING, NJ | $6,600 |
| SCUDIERY, VICTOR V. | SCUDIERY ENTERPRISES | OWNER | HAZLET, NJ | $6,600 |
| SCHOEN, MICHAEL | BEIGENE | CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE CEO | MOUNT KISCO, NY | $6,600 |
| NABI, NURAN | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | CRANBURY, NJ | $6,600 |
| OLSEN, GREGORY H. | GHO VENTURES, LLC | CEO | PRINCETON, NJ | $6,600 |
| GOLDMAN, IRENE ETKIN | NOT EMPLOYED | RETIRED | EWING, NJ | $6,600 |
| WALKER, KAROL CORBIN | LECLAIRRYAN | ATTORNEY | MORRISTOWN, NJ | $6,600 |
| CORZINE, JON | SELF-EMPLOYED | INVESTOR | NEW YORK, NY | $6,600 |
| MEROLA, MICHAEL A. | WINNING STRATEGIES WASHINGTON | GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | POTOMAC, MD | $6,599 |
| GRAHAM, JOHN F. | FOUNDATION RISK PARTNERS | INSURANCE EXECUTIVE | VERONA, NJ | $5,000 |
| WELLS, NINA MITCHELL | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | LIVINGSTON, NJ | $5,000 |
| LAWRENCE, BARBARA | NOT EMPLOYED | RETIRED | SOMERSET, NJ | $4,570 |
| COOPER, HOPE | AQUARIAN HOLDINGS | CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER | BERNARDSVILLE, NJ | $4,500 |
| GOLDEN, CAROL L. | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | PRINCETON, NJ | $4,300 |
| BERLIK, LEONARD J. | NOT EMPLOYED | RETIRED | PRINCETON, NJ | $4,300 |
| MARKOWITZ, JOSHUA | SELF-EMPLOYED | ATTORNEY | LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ | $4,300 |
| NAPPI, CHIARA R. | NOT EMPLOYED | RETIRED | PRINCETON, NJ | $4,000 |
| WATSON, WILLIAM A. | CPWW, LLC | OWNER | TRENTON, NJ | $3,720 |
| DAY, DAWN A. | NOT EMPLOYED | RETIRED | PRINCETON, NJ | $3,580 |
| CAR, ROBERTO | PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PROFESSOR | PRINCETON, NJ | $3,450 |
| PERSICHILLI, JUDITH A. | NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF HEALTH | COMMISSIONER | LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ | $3,300 |
| PERSICHILLI, JUDY | NEW JERSEY DEPT. OF HEALTH | COMMISSIONER | PENNINGTON, NJ | $3,300 |
| SYED, SAJID | PRINCETON STONE HOUSE CAPITAL | MANAGING DIRECTOR | PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ | $3,300 |
| OYLER, JOHN | BEIGENE | CEO | PENNINGTON, NJ | $3,300 |
Top individual donors, 2026 (partial)
| Name | Employer | Occupation | City/State | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRAHAM, JOHN F. | FOUNDATION RISK PARTNERS | INSURANCE EXECUTIVE | VERONA, NJ | $3,500 |
| DAY, DAWN A. | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | PRINCETON, NJ | $3,500 |
| GOLDMAN, IRENE ETKIN | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | EWING, NJ | $3,500 |
| BROWNE, REGINALD | GTS SECURTIES | TRADER | NEWTOWN, PA | $3,500 |
| PERSICHILLI, JUDITH A. | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP, NJ | $3,500 |
| ROSS, ROBERT C. ESQ. | ROSS FELLER CASEY LLP | ATTORNEY | NEWTOWN, PA | $3,500 |
| GEE, JAMES T. JR | STONO PUBLIC AFFAIRS | CONSULTANT | TRENTON, NJ | $3,500 |
| MEROLA, MICHAEL A. | WINNING STRATEGIES WASHINGTON | GOVERNMENT RELATIONS | POTOMAC, MD | $3,500 |
| WISER, FORWOOD | EDG | ENGINEER | MONMOUTH JUNCTION, NJ | $3,500 |
| MUSTAFA, DIAB | EXP REALTY | REAL ESTATE BROKER | CLIFTON, NJ | $2,750 |
| HISHMEH, BASEM | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | HALLANDALE BEACH, FL | $2,600 |
| MYERS, VINCENT | DIGROUPARCHITECTURE | ARCHITECT | EWING, NJ | $2,500 |
| ALDERISO, RICHARD | DIG | ARCHITECT | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $2,500 |
| AWAD, ROLAH | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | COLTS NECK, NJ | $2,500 |
| ELAYAN, MOURAD | NEW YORK LIFE | DIRECTOR | RIDGEFIELD, NJ | $2,500 |
| AWAD, DOROTHY | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | WAYNE, NJ | $2,500 |
| KHOURY, HANI | AWAD & KHOURY, LLP | ATTORNEY | HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ | $2,500 |
| RANJAN, RAMANATHAN | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ | $2,150 |
| WELLS, NINA MITCHELL | NOT EMPLOYED | NOT EMPLOYED | LIVINGSTON, NJ | $2,000 |
| ELLIS, YVONNE D. | TOWNSHIP OF EWING | COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPECIALIST | EWING, NJ | $1,900 |
| TAYLOR, LESTER E. III | CITY OF EAST ORANGE | MAYOR | WATCHUNG, NJ | $1,250 |
| CAR, ROBERTO | PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PROFESSOR | PRINCETON, NJ | $1,075 |
| THOMAS, REGENA | AFT | ADVOCACY DIRECTOR | HAMILTON, NJ | $1,050 |
| HAYLING, LESLIE JR. | SELF-EMPLOYED | DENTIST | TRENTON, NJ | $1,050 |
| SYED, SAJID | PRINCETON STONE HOUSE CAPITAL | MANAGING DIRECTOR | PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ | $1,000 |
PAC and party committee contributors over $5,000, 2024
| Committee | Type | Industry | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE | PAC | Technology | $5,000 |
| THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Retail | $5,000 |
| PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LOCAL NO 9 POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Education | $5,000 |
| MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITED BROTHERHOOD OF CARPENTERS AND JOINERS | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| OTSUKA AMERICA PHARMACEUTICAL INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (OTSUKA US PAC) | PAC | Health | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATION PAC | PAC | Education | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Agriculture | $5,000 |
| PLUMBERS & PIPEFITTERS LOCAL NO 9 POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Education | $5,000 |
| INT'L ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) | PAC | not mapped | $5,000 |
| DEMAND JUSTICE PAC | PAC | not mapped | $5,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE | PAC | Technology | $5,000 |
| FIRSTENERGY CORP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Energy | $5,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| MEDICARE FOR ALL | Leadership PAC | Leadership PAC | $5,000 |
| BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS IN DIVERSE GEOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENTS PAC | Leadership PAC | Leadership PAC | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| JOBS, EDUCATION, & FAMILIES FIRST JEFF PAC | Leadership PAC | Leadership PAC | $5,000 |
| OTSUKA AMERICA PHARMACEUTICAL INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (OTSUKA US PAC) | PAC | Health | $5,000 |
| ENDO, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ENDO PAC) | PAC | not mapped | $5,000 |
| MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PAC | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| LABORERS' INTERNATIONAL UNION OF NORTH AMERICA (LIUNA) PAC | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| D.R.I.V.E. - DEMOCRAT, REPUBLICAN, INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (THE PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| INT'L ASSOCIATION OF BRIDGE, STRUCTURAL, ORNAMENTAL AND REINFORCING IRON WORKERS (IPAL) | PAC | not mapped | $5,000 |
| AMERIPAC: THE FUND FOR A GREATER AMERICA | Leadership PAC | Leadership PAC | $5,000 |
| SEIU COPE (SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION) | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
| NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION | PAC | Education | $5,000 |
| AMALGAMATED TRANSIT UNION - COPE | PAC | Labor Unions | $5,000 |
Gross receipts from FEC filings, not net of refunds. Industry mappings are the directory's own classification; see methodology.
Outside money
2024
| Committee | Supporting the member | Opposing the member | Total | Single-candidate (80%+) | FEC record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SIERRA CLUB INDEPENDENT ACTION | $10 | $0 | $10 | Yes | FEC |
2026 (partial)
Independent expenditures are reported to the FEC by the spending committee, not the member's campaign. A committee is marked single-candidate when 80% or more of its cycle independent-expenditure dollars concern one candidate. Donors are named only at $50,000 or more to a super PAC or joint fundraising committee. For leadership PACs, individuals are named at $50,000 or more; organizations and PACs at $5,000 or more. The 2026 cycle is still in progress.
Amounts are each donor's net total of itemized contributions across the cycle (primary, general, and runoff elections combined), after subtracting refunds, not single gifts. Receipts marked as received in error, returned, or refunded are excluded, and refunds to the donor are subtracted. Joint-fundraising shares are included: the member committee's itemized share of joint-fundraising proceeds (FEC transaction type 15J) counts toward the donor's total, while the joint fundraising committee's own transfers are not counted separately. Donors are named only when their net cycle total is $1,000 or more; smaller donors appear only in the aggregate count and total below each table. Where a returned receipt of $10,000 or more affects a total, it is noted below the table. Lists cover itemized individual gifts to the member's principal campaign committee only. Employer and occupation are self-reported. The 2026 cycle is still in progress.
Donor figures are net of refunds from the FEC individual-contribution bulk files (2024 and 2026 cycles, each itemization taken at its latest amended version before any exclusion), rebuilt and reconciled row by row against the previous release on 2026-10-02; see methodology for the method and the reconciliation counts.
Money and finances
Estimated net worth
Stock trades (last 12 months)
0 trades, estimated volume No trades. Quiver
STOCK Act disclosures cover the member, spouse, and dependent children, and report amounts as ranges, so volumes are estimates. Null records mean data was not retrieved, never zero trades.
Earmark requests (FY2026)
Total requested: $32,768,676
| Project | Recipient | Subcommittee | Requested | In House bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manville Law Enforcement Radio Replacement | Borough of Manville | Commerce Justice Science | $230,900 | Yes |
| Rocky Hill Municipal Water Infrastructure Improvements | Borough of Rocky Hill | Interior and Environment | $4,000,000 | No |
| New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Technology Support | New Jersey State Police | Commerce Justice Science | $675,000 | Yes |
| Delaware River Basin Commission | U.S. Army Corps of Engineers | Energy & Water | $715,000 | No |
| Plainfield Center of Excellence Project | City of Plainfield | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $5,000,000 | Yes |
| Route 28 Streetscape Phase 2 | Borough of Middlesex | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $1,500,000 | Yes |
| Coalport Neighborhood Revitalization Implementation Project | Kean University | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $2,278,885 | No |
| Assunpink Greenway | City of Trenton | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $3,000,000 | Yes |
| Cedar Brook Park Road and Pedestrian Bridge Improvements | Union County | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $2,400,000 | Yes |
| Route 522 Realignment Extension Project | Township of South Brunswick | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $4,000,000 | Yes |
| Otto Kaufman Community Center | Montgomery Township | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $5,000,000 | Yes |
| Bound Brook Memorial Library Renovations | Bound Brook Borough | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $1,468,891 | Yes |
| Hillsborough Recreation Center | Hillsborough Township | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $1,000,000 | Yes |
| North Brunswick Community Resilience Hub | Township of North Brunswick | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $1,000,000 | Yes |
| Old Bridge Food Bank Building Improvements | Township of Old Bridge | Transportation, Housing and Urban Development | $500,000 | Yes |
Requests are not necessarily funded. Amounts shown are requested, not awarded.
Influence in Congress
Legislative effectiveness
0.54 on the 118th Legislative Effectiveness Score (House). thelawmakers.org
Bipartisanship
Lugar Bipartisan Index: -1.13, ranked #358 Lugar Center
Ideology
DW-NOMINATE first dimension: -0.592 (liberal end of the scale), chamber rank #9 of the 119th Congress. Voteview
Interest group ratings
| Group | Rating | Scorecard year |
|---|---|---|
| NRA | Not available | 2026 |
| LCV | 100 | 2025 |
| AFL-CIO | 100 | 2025 |
| Club for Growth | 0 | 2025 |
| Planned Parenthood | 100 | 2025 |
| ACU | 0 | 2025 |
Bills enacted
0 sponsored bills enacted into law in the 119th Congress.
2026 election
District lean
Cook Partisan Voting Index (2025): D+13. Last election margin: 24.76 points (2024). Cook PVI
2026 election
Retiring. Open-seat candidates listed.
2026 open-seat candidates
| Name | Party | Background | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Hamawy | D | Not listed | source |
| Gregg Mele | R | Not listed | source |
Candidate fields are fluid and were last checked September 2026.
Notable family
| Name | Relationship | Notable as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| John S. Watson | father | six-term New Jersey assemblyman; former Mercer County freeholder president | source |
Notable relatives found through systematic public-records searches (~2 queries per member). Absence of a listing means nothing notable was found under this methodology, not that no notable family exists.
Voting record (2026)
314 roll-call votes in 2026 · missed 1.3% · party unity 97.4
| Date | Measure | Question | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-08 | H R 6938 | On Passage | Yea |
| 2026-01-08 | H R 504 | Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary Notwithstanding | Yea |
| 2026-01-08 | H R 131 | Passage, Objections of the President To The Contrary Notwithstanding | Yea |
| 2026-01-08 | H R 1834 | On Passage | Yea |
| 2026-01-14 | H R 7006 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-02-03 | H R 7148 | On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendments | Nay |
| 2026-03-05 | H CON RES 38 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-04-16 | H CON RES 40 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-04-16 | H RES 965 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-04-29 | S CON RES 33 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Nay |
| 2026-04-30 | H R 7567 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-05-14 | H CON RES 75 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-06-03 | H CON RES 86 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-06-03 | H RES 518 | On Motion to Discharge | Yea |
| 2026-06-04 | H R 2913 | On Passage | Yea |
| 2026-06-09 | S 2 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-06-09 | H R 5408 | On Passage | Yea |
| 2026-07-14 | H R 139 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-07-15 | H R 8595 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-07-21 | H R 9770 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-07-22 | H R 8800 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-07-22 | H R 7008 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-07-22 | H CON RES 113 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Nay |
| 2026-07-23 | H CON RES 89 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
| 2026-09-01 | H R 9436 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-09-02 | H R 1501 | On Passage | Nay |
| 2026-09-15 | H CON RES 93 | On Agreeing to the Resolution | Yea |
Legislation
Sponsored 53 bills and cosponsored 658 bills in the 119th Congress.
| Bill | Title | Status |
|---|---|---|
| H.R. 469 | Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act | Passed House (Senate next) |
| H.R. 3087 | Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act | Ordered Reported |
| H.R. 329 | Expanding Penalty Free Withdrawal Act | Introduced |
| H.Res. 52 | Recognizing and honoring the work of community organizations and individuals who create and maintain services and educational programs for marginalized groups ensuring the resilience and prosperity of members of the LGBTQIA+ community. | Introduced |
| H.R. 905 | EITC Modernization Act | Introduced |
Latest statements
- Rep. Watson Coleman Statement on Recent Violence in Trenton
- Rep. Watson Coleman Introduces Resolution Condemning All Forms of Hate
- Reps. Watson Coleman, Tlaib Send Letter to FIO Addressing Auto Insurance Affordability and Discrimination
- Rep. Watson Coleman Releases New Report Addressing Critical Issues in Maternal Health
Latest official press releases and statements from the member's official site. This section requires periodic refresh; always check the source site for the newest items.
Social following
| Platform | Office account | Personal account |
|---|---|---|
| X | @RepBonnie (47K) | not found |
| @repbonnie (53K) | not found | |
| @RepBonnie (42K) | not found | |
| YouTube | not found | not found |
| not found | not found | |
| Threads | not found | not found |
| TikTok | not found | not found |
Office total: 142K · Personal total: no counts retrieved · Combined: 142K
Collected 2026-09-29. Office accounts are the member's official congressional accounts; personal accounts are their own campaign/personal accounts. Totals sum only accounts with a retrieved count and are never zero-filled. X counts are approximate (logged-out page variance). A missing account means none was verified, not that none exists.
Committee assignments
Caucus memberships
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
Only documented caucus memberships are listed; memberships are never inferred.
Staff
Chief of staff
Alexander A. Huang · (202) 225-5801
- Deputy Chief of Staff at Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (01/01/24-03/31/24) source
Communications director
Michael H Shanahan · (202) 225-5801
- Communications Director at Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (March 2021-May 2026) source
- Press Secretary at Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (Jan. 2019-March 2021) source
- Press Assistant/New Media Assistant at Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (June 2018-Dec. 2018) source
Staff data from House and Senate payroll filings; roles can change and filings can lag.
Offices
Washington, D.C. office
168 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5801
District/state offices
| City | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Ewing | 850 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 201, Ewing, NJ 08628 | (609) 883-0026 |
Connections
| Connected to | Type | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Donald Norcross | Same school | Rutgers University, Camden |
| Frank Pallone, Jr. | Same school | Rutgers University, Camden |
Connections are derived from documented public records: family ties, shared schools, shared employers, fraternities and sororities, and staff career histories. Committee ties are excluded here and shown on committee pages.