Chris Coons beat Republican Mike Katz to win another term as Delaware’s senior senator.
Chris Coons is Delaware’s senior senator. He holds the Senate seat that Joe Biden held for 36 years before he became vice president.
Coons is a lawyer who studied at Amherst and at Yale, where he earned both a law degree and a divinity degree. He worked for a Delaware company, W.L. Gore & Associates, before he went into local government.
He led New Castle County — Delaware’s largest county — first as president of the county council and then as county executive, from 2005 to 2010.
In 2010, Coons won a special election for the Senate seat Biden had left. Voters returned him in 2014 and 2020, and he became the state’s senior senator when Tom Carper retired.
On Tuesday, Coons defeated Mike Katz, a Republican and former state lawmaker. The Associated Press called the race just after 8:00 p.m. ET.
His win matters because Delaware stays solidly Democratic, and Coons remains a well-known voice on foreign policy. Watch his work reaching across the aisle — he is known for working with Republicans on bills.
Fast facts
- Age: 63
- Party: Democratic
- Office: U.S. Senator
- State: Delaware
- Previous job: New Castle County Executive (2005–2010)
- Called by AP: Just after 8:00 p.m. ET, Nov. 3, 2026
Part of the Zark News Election 2026 winners profile series. Winners are listed as called by the Associated Press.
