Mary Elizabeth Coleman Explained

Mary Elizabeth Coleman
State Senate:Missouri
District:22nd
Term Start:January 4, 2023
Predecessor:Paul Wieland
State House1:Missouri
District1:97th
Term Start1:January 9, 2019
Term End1:January 4, 2023
Predecessor1:Mike Revis
Successor1:David Casteel
Party:Republican
Spouse:Chris
Children:6
Education:Saint Louis University (BS)
St. Mary's University, Texas (JD)

Mary Elizabeth Coleman is an American politician, attorney, and anti-abortion activist from Arnold, Missouri. She has served in the Missouri Senate since 2023, representing the 22nd district. Coleman was previously a state representative from 2019 to 2023 and a Arnold city councilwoman from 2013 to 2015.

On January 5, 2023, Coleman announced that she would be a candidate for Missouri's 3rd District in the United States House of Representatives in 2024.[1] On March 26, 2024, Coleman withdrew from that race and instead joined the crowded 2024 Republican primary for Missouri Secretary of State.[2]

Early life and education

Coleman was raised in Georgetown, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Saint Louis University and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University School of Law.[3]

Career

From 2007 to 2009, Coleman worked as an associate at Oppenheimer, Blend, Harrison and Tate. She was then a member of the Arnold, Missouri City Council. Coleman operated an independent law firm from 2009 to 2015 and joined TuckerAllen in 2015. Coleman has also worked for the Thomas More Society, a Pro-Life law firm.[4]

Arnold City Council

On April 2, 2013, Coleman won an open seat on the Arnold, Missouri City Council, representing the 2nd ward.[5] Her term began on April 11.[6] She did not run for re-election in 2015.

Missouri House of Representatives

In March 2018, Coleman announced her campaign for the Missouri House of Representatives in the 97th district. The seat was considered competitive after Democrat Mike Revis narrowly flipped it from the Republicans in a February 2018 special election.[7]

In the House, Coleman served as chair of the House Children and Families Committee. In December 2021, Coleman introduced a bill that would ban abortion in Missouri after eight weeks, modeled after the Texas Heartbeat Act. In 2022, Coleman proposed that Missouri women who leave the state to get an abortion should be prohibited from doing so.[8]

Missouri Senate

In February 2021, Coleman declared her candidacy for a seat in the Missouri Senate.[9] She came in first place against three opponents in the Republican primary, and then won the general election of 2022.

In 2024, Coleman reinstated "ballot candy" provisions to a bill that would add barriers to citizen-initiated constitutional amendments. The provisions were previously removed in bipartisan negotiations in which the language was criticized by Democrats as "deceptive" and "unnecessary" while Republicans described it a means of being inclusive of rural voters.[10]

Personal life

Coleman is Catholic. She is married with six children, including two who are adopted. Her husband Chris is an accountant.[11]

Notes and References

  1. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/government-politics/state-sen-mary-elizabeth-coleman-jumps-into-race-to-replace-blaine-luetkemeyer/article_12bd7288-abdf-11ee-9deb-a770247a24d6.html
  2. Web site: Hancock . Jason . March 26, 2024 . Republican senator leaves Congressional race to run for Missouri secretary of state . The Missouri Independent.
  3. Web site: Representative Mary Elizabeth Coleman. 2022-01-14. house.mo.gov.
  4. Web site: McDermott . Kevin . McDermott: Now that they control women's wombs, the right seeks to control their movement . 2022-12-22 . STLtoday.com . en.
  5. Web site: Jefferson County General Election Results 2013. April 2, 2013.
  6. Web site: Arnold City Council April 11, 2013 Meeting Minutes. April 11, 2013.
  7. Web site: 2018-10-29 . JeffCo House district race will test the strength of the blue wave . 2022-12-22 . STLPR . en.
  8. News: Missouri lawmaker seeks to stop residents from obtaining abortions out of state . en-US . Washington Post . 2022-12-22 . 0190-8286.
  9. Web site: Cameron. Gerber. February 8, 2021. The Missouri Times. Rep. Mary Elizabeth Coleman running for Senate in 2022. January 8, 2023.
  10. Web site: Spoerre . Anna . 2024-04-25 . Missouri House sends initiative petition bill back to Senate with 'ballot candy' reinstated . 2024-04-25 . Missouri Independent . en-US.
  11. News: Kitchener . Caroline . 2021-12-29 . The new face of the antiabortion movement is a young mom of 6 who listens to Lizzo . 2024-04-25 . Washington Post . en-US . 0190-8286.