Democratic Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.) will not run for reelection in 2026, she announced Monday.
Watson Coleman, 80, said in a press release she opted not to seek another term after “many personal conversations” with her husband, Bill, and her family. The progressive lawmaker, who has represented the Garden State’s 12th district for over a decade, noted that “now is the time to pass the torch.”
“I am confident it is the right choice for me and my family who have graciously sacrificed by my side when I placed serving our community above all else and I can truly say, I am at peace with my decision,” Watson Coleman added. “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.”
A former majority leader of the New Jersey General Assembly, Watson Coleman became the first African American woman to represent her state in Congress upon taking office in 2015. An executive board member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Watson Coleman is on the Appropriations and Budget committees.
In her statement, Watson Coleman touted her efforts “to build an economy for all, reform our criminal justice system, achieve health equity, and eliminate poverty.” She also pushed for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict that “paves the way for peace, prosperity, and dignity” for both sides.
Earlier this year, Watson Coleman and fellow New Jersey Reps. Rob Menendez (D) and LaMonica McIver (D) had an altercation with immigration agents at a detention center in Newark. During the incident, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka (D) was arrested on trespassing charges.
New Jersey’s 12th district includes parts of Mercer, Somerset, Union and Middlesex counties. Watson Coleman defeated Republican Darius Mayfield by nearly 25 percentage points last November.
Kyle Little, a fitness studio owner, filed to run as a Democrat in Watson Coleman’s district in July. Little has raised over $13,000 since as of the end of September, according to quarterly reports he filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Shortly after Watson Coleman’s announcement, Brad Cohen, the mayor of East Brunswick, New Jersey, and Somerset County Commission Director Shanel Robinson announced they are running to succeed her, according to the New Jersey Globe.
