Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman Puts Party Over People, Bipartisan Ranking Shows

Watson Coleman Gets Another ‘Very Poor’ Grade For 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Democratic U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, D-12, earned another grade of “very poor” in 2017 when it comes to working on legislation with Republicans, a bipartisan index from the Lugar Center shows. Watson Coleman ranked 388 out of 438 members to either sponsor, or co-sponsor legislation with members of the opposing party in 2017, according to the ranking. That is the second worst ranking of the 12-member New Jersey House of Representatives delegation, with only Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone, NJ-6, scoring lower, according to the index.

It also continues a trend for the two-term member of congress, going back to the last session of congress from 2015-16, scoring a ranking of 419 out of 427 for that session. She ranked 415 out of 438 in 2015 alone, according to the ranking.

“I am very disappointed, though not surprised, to see my Democratic opponent come in at 388 of 438 on the Lugar Center Bipartisan Index of our members of Congress, making her the 50th least bipartisan member of congress in the country,” 12th District Republican Candidate Daryl Kipnis said. “Whether you are in the majority or the minority party, you can’t truly bring in value for your constituents unless you are ready, willing, and able, to problem solve across the aisle. With so many New Jerseyans struggling financially to afford to live here, concerned about the quality of our

healthcare and our environment, the safety of our kids in schools, and our state’s deteriorating infrastructure, that’s what I’m here to do. This isn’t about party or politics as usual, it’s about people.” Started in 2015, the index gives a score to lawmakers based on legislation they either sponsor, or co-sponsor, with members of the opposite party, according to the organization.

According to the organization, looking at sponsored legislation paints a more objective picture as to where representatives stand on issues rather than specific votes, which could be made based on technical factors. “The Bipartisan Index measures the frequency with which a Member co-sponsors a bill introduced by the opposite party and the frequency with which a Member’s own bills attract co-sponsors from the

opposite party,” the organization states on its website.

While Watson Coleman remains at the bottom of the rankings with fellow Democrat Pallone, eight of the state’s representatives ranked either “good,” or “very good” at working across the aisle in a bipartisan way, according to the Lugar Center. Those representatives are split with four Republicans and Four Democrats, according to the ranking.

“The rankings show that we can absolutely work together when we want to,” Kipnis said. “It is very clear that working toward solutions for the problems here in the 12th District is simply not a priority for my opponent. She would rather spend her time in Washington, D.C., and our taxpayer dollars, grandstanding for an extreme hyper-partisan, obstructionist agenda that does absolutely nothing to improve the lives of her constituents, and in fact, is a big part of the reason why New Jersey remains

50 out of 50 in federal appropriations received per tax dollar sent to Washington, despite being nearly broke. This must be changed so all of us can enjoy a safer and more prosperous quality of life in Central Jersey by freeing us from our designation as the nation’s piggy bank.”

“‘Resist’ is not an ethos from which to govern or represent the people of the 12th District, and when Rep. Watson Coleman’s irrational compulsion to do so at all costs causes her to vote against funding for such critical needs as school safety and women’s healthcare, simply because said funding was supported by Republicans and President Trump, it is downright destructive. The bitterness and rancor must end so we can move forward together.”

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Charles W. Kim at (732) 666-2059, or email kipnisforcongress@gmail.com.