Bonnie Watson Coleman is a member of the U.S. House, representing New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. She assumed office on January 3, 2015. Her current term ends on January 3, 2027. House to represent New Jersey's 12th Congressional District. On November 10, 2025, Watson Coleman announced she would not run for re-election to the United States House of Representatives representing New Jersey's 12th Congressional District in 2026. Coleman was first elected in 2014 to replace retiring incumbent Rep. Rush Holt Jr., who had represented the district since 1998. Before being elected to Congress, Coleman was a Democratic member of the New Jersey General Assembly, representing District 15 since 1997. Coleman served as Assembly majority leader from 2006 to 2009 and was the majority conference leader in 2014. She was the first woman to chair the Democratic Party of New Jersey, holding the position from 2002 to 2006. Prior to serving as an elected official, Coleman worked in the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
