Campaign Blog

Talk about reckless

Posted by Chris Coons on August 24, 2010 at 3:49 pm

Just yesterday, Congressman Mike Castle sent his supporters an email that said this election was a choice between fiscal responsibility and "reckless disregard" for the nation's debt.

He's right.

Congressman Castle voted repeatedly to deregulate Wall Street, then to bail out Wall Street executives, to raise his own pay by $40,000 and to support Republican spending priorities that have exploded our nation's deficit. He even voted against the responsible 'pay-as-you-go' budgeting practice to make sure Congress can continue ratcheting up the debt.

Talk about reckless.

Our state deserves a Senator who says the same thing in Washington that he says here in Delaware. That's why I'm running for the Senate and that's why I need your help today.

The pre-primary fundraising filing deadline is tomorrow at midnight and we've set a goal of raising $25,000 online before then. Will you help by making a contribution now?

On Friday Christy told you about our strategy for closing the gap and winning in November. It's a good one and with it, I know we can win.

But it can't work without you.
 
As Wall Street's profits and our nation's deficit grew during Congressman Castle's years in office, so did his campaign's bank account. He's got a significant fundraising advantage and though we've been exceeding people's expectations, we've still got a long way to go.
 
That's why every dollar counts. I've appreciated your support so much and hope you'll make a donation today.
 
http://www.chriscoons.com/reckless

Campaign strategy update

Posted by Christy Gleason on August 20, 2010 at 4:47 pm

A pair of national polls conducted in just the last few weeks have shown what we knew would be the case: the more people get to know Chris Coons, the more likely they are to vote for him.

Both polls showed we'd cut Congressman Castle's lead in half and that voters fundamentally disagree with his record in Washington. The polls were very clear that if we can get Chris' message out to enough voters, we can win this election.

We have 74 days left to close what is now just a 12-point gap, so I wanted to share with you our strategy for winning this election:

1. We're mobilizing the largest, earliest field operation Delaware has ever seen, with volunteers knocking on doors and calling voters every day in communities all across Delaware. Data from that operation is being routed into a database that will allow us to identify undecided voters and then more efficiently invest our field resources in winning their votes.
2. We're introducing Chris to voters one by one at coffees and cookouts throughout the state. When voters get to see for themselves the energy he's bringing to this campaign and will take with him to Washington, they're eager to not only vote for him, but to help send him to Washington.
3. We'll roll out a series of detailed policy proposals that Chris has been developing these last few months that reflect his vision for how best to get our country moving in the right direction again.
4. We're appealing to voters through an aggressive paid media strategy that will include mail, Internet, and television advertising.
5. We'll re-introduce voters to our 18-year incumbent Congressman, asking whether the Congressman's leadership on financial deregulation and on other issues has helped folks like you and me.

It's an aggressive strategy, but given the stakes, we know it's the right one. Congressman Castle is sitting on a war chest of more than $2.5 million, and Wall Street and DC lobbyists are lined up behind him, ready to refill his coffers. In fact, he was in New York City earlier this week to do just that.

We can win this election, but not without you.

Please make a contribution and invest in our campaign today.

I know Chris can count on your support.

Chris’ proposed ban on lobbying by ex-Senators is making headlines

Posted by Ian Koski on August 18, 2010 at 2:24 pm

It didn't take long for Chris' bold proposal to ban lobbying by former Senators to start making headlines. Huffington Post has a story today that features Chris and an interview with the head of the American League of Lobbyists (the lobby lobby?), which, unsurprisingly, isn't wild about the idea.

"People are mad, and people really question whether Washington is working for them. Americans are willing to sacrifice, but that's just not what they're seeing out of D.C.," Chris told HuffPo. "There's a broad concern lobbyists and special interests have too much control over the outcomes."

The lobbying ban is the centerpiece of a proposal Chris unveiled last week meant to reform the way Washington works. He wants to stop the "revolving door of special interests" in Washington by preventing members of the Senate from lobbying their former colleageus. Chris also supports a five-year ban on lobbying by Senate senior staff.

“When a Senator resigns or is defeated, they should not be rewarded with high paying lobbying contracts that influence how our laws are crafted and passed," Chris said. "A lifetime ban on former Senators and a five year ban on senior staff begins to restore balance to the legislative process.”

Chris also supports a ten percent pay cut on Senators' salaries.

“As Americans have seen their personal wealth diminish, wages cut and jobs lost, it is only right that elected officials shoulder some of the burden," Chris said. "I support an across the board ten percent pay cut of Senators salaries and a six year freeze on any increases or cost of living adjustments.  Even at $157,000 a year, Senators will remain highly compensated.”

A side of Chris you may not know

Posted by Annie Coons on August 6, 2010 at 2:33 pm

I want to share a little bit about my best friend and husband, Chris Coons, that you may not know.

When Chris and I met, Chris was the runner.  Over the years, we have traded places - Chris now runs for office and runs a government, while our kids and I are more the road runners in the family

Yet, when Chris and I talked about his running for the United States Senate, I knew this was a race we would all run together.  Over our 13 years of marriage, Chris and I have shared our concerns over the challenges that our nation faces and the need to do something to address those challenges. I know better than anyone, including Chris, that as our next U.S. Senator, that he would work tirelessly and do everything in his power to make American families more stable, businesses more successful and our nation more secure. He will make Delawareans proud.

Chris has the experience and values to be a great U.S. Senator, but I don't want you to take my word for it. Click on this video to meet the Chris I know.

I am writing to you to ask for your help.  There are less than 90 days left in this campaign.  I need your help as I work with family and friends to introduce the Chris I know to voters across Delaware.

Will you help me by hosting a coffee or house party today?

Our campaign staff will work with you to make this process simple, fun and help you introduce Chris to your network of family, friends and neighbors.  Please sign up to host a campaign coffee at your home today.

Chris will make a great Senator for Delaware. With your help, we can win this November, and bring new energy and a new approach to Washington.  I hope to see you soon.

Fox News analyst calls Delaware “a sleeper race”

Posted by Ian Koski on August 5, 2010 at 2:39 pm

Calling the special election to fill Joe Biden's seat in the Senate "a sleeper race," Fox News analyst Trish Turner discussed the series of factors that have helped close the gap on Mike Castle... most notably, Chris himself.

"The 46-year old county executive clearly has an uphill climb, but a number of factors are tilting in his favor, factors that make this a race to watch. Coons is from Delaware's most populous of its three counties in a blue state that voted for Obama in 2008 by 67 percent, and Coons is a strong orator with a dynamic family picture and an exuberant energy that will make it possible for him to get around this small state and without spending a lot of cash in doing so."

A recent poll that showed Chris has cut Castle's lead by more than half, "has national Democrats smiling," Turner wrote.

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Senator Robert Menendez weighed in, saying "I think it is a race that people aren't paying attention to and that we have a tremendous opportunity to win for a variety of reasons. Coons has cut the lead in half based on pure shoe leather...He is a dynamic candidate, a bundle of energy."

Click here to read the article on FoxNews.com.

How I’ll fight for jobs

Posted by Chris Coons on July 26, 2010 at 3:58 pm

Delaware deserves a Senator who will focus on the issues that matter to families across the State - and none is more urgent than fixing our economy and putting Delawareans back to work.

The truth is, the government doesn't create jobs, but it can make it easier for entrepreneurs to start new ventures and for businesses large and small to expand operations.  Yet, contrary to the opinion of Republican leaders, it is not enough to just talk about cutting taxes - we need a real plan to invest in Americans by tackling job creation on every front.

Learn more about how I'd fight for job growth as your Senator by watching our new video:

Democrats have long taken a more aggressive approach toward jobs creation than their Republican counterparts.

My opponent, Congressman Mike Castle, has spent 18 years in Congress and he still has no plan for helping businesses put people back to work.  He spent nearly half that time supporting the disastrous agenda that got us into this mess, and when he had the chance to give tax credits to businesses that create new jobs for the unemployed, he voted "no."  He is part of what we need to change in Washington.

We need a Senator who will work day and night to put Delawareans back to work. You can learn more about my plans for job growth by clicking here.
 
I hope you'll watch our new video and share it with your friends.

Chris Coons praises President’s signing of aggressive Wall Street reforms

Posted by Ian Koski on July 21, 2010 at 5:31 pm

Chris Coons this afternoon praised President Obama's signing of sweeping reforms to our nation's rules on lending and high finance designed to protect American consumers from the type of reckless business practices largely responsible for nearly destroying our economy.

"The signing today of the Wall Street reform bill sets in place some of the strongest consumer protection laws we have ever had," Chris said today. "Already we are hearing of schemes to circumvent these protections. As Senator, I will be vigilant in making sure that the Wall Street banks follow the letter and spirit of these consumer protections and do not burden consumers with additional charges and new onerous fees."

Last week Chris lashed out at Congressional Republicans who fought to prevent these Wall Street reforms from passing.

"This crisis came about because the Republican Congress and my opponent, Congressman Mike Castle, were so focused on deregulation that they did nothing to prohibit complex financing schemes that they didn’t fully understand," Chris said last week.

"I firmly believe that this crisis could have been avoided had more of Wall Street operated like the majority of community banks and lending institutions who did not over extend credit and risk their customers' deposits," he added. "As U.S. Senator, I will be vigilant in making sure we  never again allow Wall Street greed to cause such damage to American families and cost taxpayers so much of their hard earned dollars."

84 Days Later

Posted by Chris Coons on July 13, 2010 at 4:43 pm

It's hard to believe that after 84 days, oil is still spilling out into the Gulf and the lives of those Americans on its coast are still getting worse.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is a tragic example of why we can no longer rely on oil as our nation's main source of energy, and the notion that we might risk such a disaster on Delaware's shores is incomprehensible.

As your Senator, I'll fight to prevent companies like BP from drilling here and putting Delaware's future at risk.

Then, will you invite five of your friends to stand with us against drilling by joining our campaign?

Our nation's dependence on oil doesn't just have environmental consequences. America spends approximately $1 billion a day on foreign oil, contributing to our economic struggles and fostering a precarious security situation.

That's why I've long supported innovation and research in alternative energy sources. While transitioning from oil to alternative energies will not be quick or easy, now is the time to forge ahead with serious commitments in wind, solar, biofuels, and other options. 

Offshore wind farms off the coast of Delaware are critical to our state's energy future.  I will support dedicating Delaware's offshore areas for alternative energy instead of oil exploration and will work hard to grow critical research in solar, fuel cell, and batteries at the universities and private research companies right here in our state.

You can make a difference in this fight. Please click below to ask your friends, neighbors and family to join our campaign.

http://www.chriscoons.com/oilspill

We must hold BP accountable for cleaning up this unprecedented disaster and assessing the untold ecological and economic damage it has done. We must change our policies to ensure that oil companies have real plans to prevent disasters and to stop leaks quickly when they happen.  We need thorough investigations into the cause of the spill and whether the government could have done more to prevent it.

My thoughts and prayers are with the fishing communities, hotel and restaurant owners, and millions of residents whose lives have been turned upside down.  

Chris, Mike, Jack and Maggie Coons wish America a Happy Birthday!

Posted by Web Team on July 4, 2010 at 11:56 am

Fighting for Delaware

Posted by Chris Coons on June 30, 2010 at 1:03 pm

Joe Biden has always been a fighter.

The Vice President knows there are times for talk and times for action, and he and I agree that the issues we face here in Delaware and indeed across our nation are too important to ignore. It's time to act.

Earlier this week, Vice President Biden returned home to Wilmington to support my campaign for the Senate. He talked passionately about the importance of this election and about how the Republicans in Washington seem eager to say what they're against, but can't seem to say what they're for. 

http://www.chriscoons.com/joebiden

There's no question about what I'm for. I'm for affordable health care and expanded job creation. I'm for more clean energy and Wall Street reform. I'm for better schools and a safer nation. Like Joe Biden, I'll always put Delaware's interests first, no matter what.

Today's a big day for our campaign. As Governor Jack Markell mentioned earlier in the week, the critical quarterly finance filing deadline is at midnight tonight and we want to show how seriously Delaware takes keeping Joe Biden's Senate seat blue.

Please make a contribution of $35, $50, or even $100 today.

I was humbled on Monday night to hear the Vice President talk about my 10 years of public service. I've fought hard to deliver real results to Delaware's families, while cutting millions of dollars in wasteful spending and restoring fiscal responsibility to county government.

The Vice President and I agree that we need more of that kind of responsible leadership in Washington, and that's exactly what I'll bring to the Senate when we win this election.

The fundraising quarter ends tonight at midnight and I hope I can count on your support. I've been so honored to have you at my side and look forward to fighting for Delaware together.
 
Thank you.

Videos: Vice President Biden talks about Chris Coons

Posted by Ian Koski on June 29, 2010 at 11:23 am

Vice President Biden was in Wilmington Monday night raising money for Chris' campaign for the Senate and talked in depth about why Chris was the right candidate to help fight the Republicans vote-against-everything strategy. We've uploaded a couple of videos so you can see for yourself!

The Vice President talks about his support for Chris:

The Vice President criticized Republicans for not being "for" anything:

The Vice President's full remarks:

Chris' full remarks introducing the Vice President:

Labor groups: Chris works hard for us

Posted by Ian Koski on June 25, 2010 at 11:45 am

We were delighted yesterday to announce that the Communication Workers of America (CWA), the International Association of Machinists (IAM), and Sheet Metal Workers International (SMWIA) had endorsed Chris' campaign! Labor groups throughout Delaware support Chris’ candidacy for the United States Senate because of his dedication to creating and keeping jobs in Delaware.  

The unions were especially impressed with Chris’ involvement in reopening the General Motors plant and the Delaware City refinery.  Chris' hard work on behalf of Delaware’s working men and women saved thousands of jobs.

Chris said he was "honored to receive support from our state’s working men and women. Together, we will fight to continue to grow our state’s economy by not only bringing new jobs to Delaware, but working to sustain quality middle class jobs that are already here." 

Chris will bring the same dedication and enthusiasm for creating and keeping jobs to Washington as Delaware’s next United States Senator, but only with your support.  Please consider contributing to Chris’ campaign today!

David Plouffe: Chris can win. You can help.

Posted by Ian Koski on June 23, 2010 at 11:40 am

David Plouffe, a Delaware native and the campaign manager of President Obama’s 2008 campaign, just sent a message to Chris' supporters discussing the importance of this election. Your support of Chris will have both local and national implications.  Check out what David had to say and then please consider donating to the campaign today.

Watch: Chris Coons says General McChrystal “Has to be Respectful of Civilian Authorities”

Posted by Ian Koski on June 22, 2010 at 5:07 pm

In an interview with ABC News and the Washington Post Tuesday, Chris talked about General Stanley McChrystal's comments to Rolling Stone Magazine, in which he was sharply critical of President Obama and his administration.

"We have a long tradition of civilians being responsible for oversight of the military," Chris said, "and Gen. McChrystal -- if he's going to be the effective, engaged commander on the ground in Afghanistan he needs to be -- has to be respectful of the civilian authorities over him. I'm hopeful that that's gonna be the outcome of his meetings in Washington this week."

Watch video of the interview below:

Memorial Day

Posted by Chris Coons on May 31, 2010 at 1:17 pm

Yesterday, as neighbors gathered on the street for the kickoff of the Wilmington Memorial Day Parade, I had some amazing conversations that reminded me of the importance of this day.

A man I had not met before – a lifelong Delawarean – shared with me and my kids his personal story of landing at Normandy on D-Day and fighting his way through Europe.  A younger neighbor came over and joined in, sharing his father’s story of serving in WWII in China.  Another neighbor told stories both poignant and funny about his military service.

It’s important that we make time to gather on Memorial Day to remember, to share stories, and to honor those who have served and those who serve today.  Today, we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our grateful nation.

To all of our veterans, those in our armed forces today, and military families, thank you.

First Lady Carla Markell on why women support Chris Coons for Senate

Posted by Ian Koski on May 29, 2010 at 5:15 pm

Delaware's First Lady, Carla Markell, stepped out of our Women for Chris Coons reception on Wednesday evening to talk about why Chris was the right candidate for Senate for Delaware's women. See what she said in the video below.

Discrimination, plain and simple

Posted by Chris Coons on May 29, 2010 at 2:23 pm

Late Thursday night the House voted on an amendment to repeal the law that prevents gays from serving openly in our nation's military.

In lockstep with other Washington Republicans, Congressman Castle voted against it.

"Don't Ask Don't Tell" is discrimination, plain and simple. It's offensive, impractical, and has no place in this country.

Mike Castle disagrees, and that's just one of the many reasons why I'm running against him to represent our state in the Senate. This Memorial Day weekend, let's send him a message that Delaware simply will not tolerate discrimination.

Click here to sign our petition and say Delaware stands up for our service members... and against "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

It's time that we allow members of our armed forces - folks like George Christensen of Dover - to serve and defend openly. George served in the Navy for 23 years, retiring as a Lt. Commander in 1979. Shortly after retiring, he came out.

George and I have talked about how hard it was for him to suppress who he was for fear of being denied the chance to continue serving his country. This is a man who served during the Vietnam War and had to worry not just about the enemy, but a dishonorable discharge.

The brave men and women who want to serve in our nation's armed forces are being told by politicians like Mike Castle that who they are is wrong. I won't stand for that kind of discrimination and I don't think Delaware will either.

Join President Obama, Secretary of Defense Gates, Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Michael Mullen, and me in supporting allowing the military to rollback "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

http://www.chriscoons.com/discrimination

This campaign is about our future but Mike Castle is about our past. We need strong progressive leadership that will work to make life better for all Americans, not a roadblock who'll vote against the values Delaware holds dear.

A terrific week

Posted by Christy Gleason on May 21, 2010 at 5:53 pm

It's been a great week for the Chris Coons campaign and I wanted to take a quick moment to give you an update on our momentum.

Did you see that the Delaware State Education Association, which represents 11,000 teachers and staff at Delaware's public schools, enthusiastically endorsed Chris last Friday? It was a bit of a surprise considering their support for Rep. Castle in his previous elections, but we could not have been more excited.

That victory kicked off another strong week for the campaign, culminating in more great news this morning when the Teamsters Local 326 announced they were endorsing Chris, too!

People all across Delaware are lining up to help elect Chris Coons to the Senate. They're eager to help out, put up yard signs and talk to voters about why Chris should be our next U.S. Senator.

Sign up to join them as a campaign volunteer today.

This weekend, Chris will be out knocking on doors in Dover, introducing himself to voters and explaining why he'd make a better Senator for Delaware's future than Congressman Castle.

He's been eager to get out and knock on as many doors as he can because he knows the election is more about you than him.

It's about what you believe and what you stand for. Whether you want a Senator with a forward-looking vision for Delaware's future, or a Senator with a decades-long commitment to Washington Republican solutions that put special interests ahead of Main Street.

Given the opportunity, Chris would try to knock on every door in the state personally, but there's just not that kind of time! That's why we need your help. Consider volunteering for the campaign and help get Chris elected this fall.

The energy our supporters and volunteers continue to show up and down our state has been amazing.  Keep up the great work!

Teamsters endorse Chris for Senate

Posted by Christy Gleason on May 21, 2010 at 11:36 am

We got some great news this morning - the Teamsters Local 326 Political Action Committee has endorsed Chris Coons for the U.S. Senate!

Vice President and Legislative Representative Michael Ciabattoni released a statement this morning saying that, "Chris has a history of hard work and dedicated service to the citizens of New Castle County. In this year of change, Chris is exactly the type of person, with the ethics and integrity, we need working for us in Washington."

Chris was so gratified to hear the news and I know all of us here at the campaign look forward to working with the Teamsters this summer to win this election!

Watch: Delaware’s teachers endorse Chris Coons

Posted by Ian Koski on May 14, 2010 at 10:41 pm

Watch below as Delaware State Education Association President Diane Donahue talks about why Delaware's teachers decided to support Chris Coons for the U.S. Senate.

What you said about offshore drilling

Posted by Christy Gleason on May 1, 2010 at 8:56 am

Last week, Chris told you about his firm commitment to fighting Washington's plan to explore drilling for oil off Delaware's shore. "While I strongly support the President's commitment to reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil," Chris wrote, "drilling for oil off Delaware's coastline is simply not the right solution."

He wanted to hear what you think, so we invited you to share your own opinions on drilling, and we got quite a few great responses! Here are a few.

John from Wilmington said, "All we need to do is look at the recent incident in the Gulf of Mexico to realize that we do NOT want gigantic oil rigs that could blow up, spew oil and create an ecological disaster. Put that money in to the wind farms and other renewable energy!"

Sam from Newark said, "We have tried drilling our way out of this crisis. Let's focus on renewable methods to supply energy while driving down costs and making our nation more secure through less dependency on foreign sources."

Bruce from Millsboro said, "Yes, Chris . . . we need to shift our emphasis to renewable energy sources. Thanks for pursuing this."

And Lauren from Wilmington said, "We learned a huge lesson today about the dangers of off-shore oil drilling. Let's not compromise all of the hard work that has been done to clean up Delaware's coastal areas by putting it at risk of such horrendous accidents."

Click here to share your opinion!

Offshore drilling is no way to celebrate Earth Day

Posted by Chris Coons on April 22, 2010 at 2:36 pm

As our nation observes the 40th anniversary of Earth Day today, here in Delaware we're facing a real threat to our own ecosystem.

Earlier this month President Obama unveiled a plan that would expand oil drilling off the coast of Delaware. While I strongly support the President's commitment to reducing our nation's dependence on foreign oil, drilling for oil off Delaware's coastline is simply not the right solution.

Like Governor Markell, I believe our nation should invest more in offshore wind energy instead. It's the smartest and safest way to create jobs and new energy supplies in our state.

I've pledged to oppose drilling off Delaware's shore and to support efforts to expand offshore wind energy production. Will you join me?

Sign our pledge and tell the President we oppose drilling off Delaware's shores.

Just this week, Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and a bipartisan group of cosponsors, including Delaware's Senators Tom Carper and Ted Kaufman, introduced a bill designed to spur research on potential offshore wind projects and expand incentives for developing the technology that will make them possible.

Wind is a vast, untapped source of pollution-free, renewable energy and could provide energy to millions of homes in the U.S.

If you send me to the U.S. Senate, I will proudly vote yes on Sen. Brown's wind energy bill and will fight tenaciously to protect Delaware's shores.

Video: Sen. Carper introduces (and endorses) Chris Coons

Posted by Ian Koski on April 21, 2010 at 7:10 am

We've started uploading video from Chris' campaign kickoff events on Monday. Here's one clip we really like -- it's Senator Tom Carper introducing Chris at the Kent County event at the Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover. 

Kicking off our campaign

Posted by Chris Coons on April 13, 2010 at 3:58 pm

It's been almost two months since I entered the race for the United States Senate to make sure Delaware continues its tradition of strong Democratic representation in Washington.

In those two months, the support Delawareans have shown me has been humbling, to say the least. Just a few weeks ago when I told you about our end-of-quarter fundraising deadline, you not only helped us meet our goal, but beat it by more than half.

I could not be more appreciative for that support nor more excited for this campaign, and I'm glad you'll be with me every step of the way.

The first step on that journey will happen Monday, April 19 as we officially kick off our campaign with rallies in all three counties:

10:00 a.m. on the boardwalk in Rehoboth Beach
12:30 p.m. at the Delaware Agricultural Museum in Dover
3:00 p.m. at IBEW Local 313 Union Hall in New Castle

I hope you'll be able to come out to one of these events to say 'hi' and show your support. You should feel free to bring some friends - we'd love to meet them!

This is a critical moment in the course of our state and our nation, and I'm honored to be a part of it. I know that, together, we'll be able to run a strong campaign that places our shared priorities and values first.

I hope to see you on Monday! 

Good news on jobs here in Delaware

Posted by Chris Coons on April 9, 2010 at 6:33 pm

When Valero Energy closed down its Delaware City plant before Christmas last year, the nation's economic struggle became a personal nightmare for hundreds of Delaware families.

For some, there now might be an end in sight.

Yesterday I joined Governor Markell in announcing that Valero Energy had reached a deal with PBF Energy to sell the Delaware City facility and -- after some maintenance work -- restart operations next spring.

That means the restoration of 500 full-time jobs and the immediate investment of up to $150 million to renovate the plant.

It's tremendous news, but the fact is, this deal didn't happen on its own. It took extraordinary, disciplined hard work by Governor Markell and his administration, who worked doggedly to prevent Valero from dismantling the facility and to help find a buyer willing to put Delawareans back to work there.

As proud as I am to have been a part of the effort on behalf of New Castle County, I'll be even happier to see our neighbors back to work.

This deal is a demonstration of what strong Democratic leadership can do for Delaware and is the reason I'm running for the Senate. Our state needs leaders who will work tirelessly to put Delawareans to work, not sit on the sidelines and hope things get better.

Amid the layoffs at Valero, GM and Chrysler last fall, New Castle County invested $200,000 to start a training program designed to help with resume preparation, interview and job-search skills, computer training, and to provide other educational opportunities.

There is nothing more important to me than making sure that all Delawareans who want a job can find one. As your Senator, I'd work every day to make that a reality.

I appreciate your support and hope you'll forward this message on to a few of your friends and neighbors, encouraging them to join our campaign. 

A critical vote for Delaware

Posted by Chris Coons on March 23, 2010 at 2:56 pm

Congress made history Sunday night, adopting landmark health care reform critical for our nation's economic future and the well being of its citizens.

It's great news for the more than 100,000 Delaware residents who are uninsured and the 70,000 Delaware residents who will qualify for tax credits to help them afford the health insurance they need.

The bill passed Sunday night will also give 140,000 Delaware seniors access to free preventive care while lowering prescription drug costs for 25,000 seniors on a fixed income.

That's why I proudly would have voted "yes" on health care reform.

It is disappointing that every single Republican in the House and Senate voted against these significant reforms, including Delaware's Congressman Castle.

This was fundamentally about whose side are you on. I listened to the AARP, which endorsed this because it was good for seniors. I listened to the doctors and nurses, who endorsed this because it's good for patients. Congressional Republicans sided with the insurance companies, who opposed this bill. I'm proud to stand with the AARP, doctors and nurses, instead of the insurance companies.