On Monday, Roll Call highlighted Chris’ efforts in the Senate to reach across the aisle and work with his colleagues in both parties to develop practical solutions to the issues facing our country. After nearly a year in office, the article features Chris’ views on the Senate as an institution and his experience building relationships with the other senators.
Coons is now better known and has been actively making friends on both sides of the aisle even though he was sworn in just a year ago on Nov. 15, 2010, the first day of the 2010 lame-duck session. He is serving out the remaining four years of Vice President Joseph Biden’s term.
Coons said his biggest frustration has been the slow pace of the Senate, which has been hampered by partisan gridlock. But the former county executive has sought out the counsel of other executives-turned-Senators who also had trouble adjusting, including Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), who all were governors or mayors.
“All four of these guys really frankly had a hard time with the transition, with feeling like ‘we used to do stuff every day, now we just talk and talk and talk,’” Coons said. “And I have really struggled with that at times, particularly because of the partisanship and the endless filibusters.”
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Coons was surprised to have made the friends he has — particularly with Republicans — given the partisanship that permeates most of the chamber’s legislative work. “Individually, the Senators I have been able to invest in getting to know personally are bright, they are patriotic, they are hardworking, they are decent people, and if you can get past some of the team A [versus] team B fighting on the floor, there are opportunities to work together,” Coons said.