Meet the Lawmaker: Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.)

What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Sen. Coons: I knew from a young age that I would be involved either in teaching, preaching or working for change. But I somewhat jokingly said I wanted to be taller.
 
What is your favorite hobby?
Sen. Coons: Really, if I’ve got any spare time, I spend it with my three kids. I’ve got 11-year-old twin boys and a 9-year-old girl. They’re wonderful. So, spending time with my family. I’m in a good mood because I get to see them tonight. Personally, I would say reading about history and politics, but I rarely get spare time to read on my own these days.

{mosads}What do you consider to be your biggest political achievement?
Sen. Coons: It would be leading New Castle County government through some very tough fiscal times. I balanced the budget all six years that I was county executive.

What do you consider to be your biggest political mistake?
Sen. Coons: In terms of the campaign I just ran, not spending more time very early on in southernmost Delaware. I think it’s important for me to have a presence there, in Sussex County. I spent most of the day today there. I’m investing a lot of the time there now.

What’s your least favorite household chore?
Sen. Coons: If you say chore, what comes to mind is organizing my papers. I do a lot of reading, and I have a lot of papers that come home with me every night … My wife is always pressing me to get that stuff organized, [saying,] “We don’t need that stuff around here.”

What’s your favorite place in the world?
Sen. Coons: If you’re saying with my family, it’s the week we spend every summer at Lewes Beach in Delaware. For me, personally, the Wind River mountains in western Wyoming. I’ve been there several times with my extended family and with my wife. We’re hoping to go there this summer.
 
What’s your guilty pleasure?
Sen. Coons: Playing video games with my kids. My boys are at an age where they love playing video games. Our big thing is we just got “Madden 11.” We have “Madden 09” and “Madden 10.”
My daughter and I play “Wii Sports” or “Wii Sports Resort” a lot. And I got an iPad for Christmas, so I play “Zombieville” and “Angry Birds.” I have to admit that it’s not just with my kids.

Who wins when you play with your kids?
Sen. Coons: More often than not, they do.