Senator Chris Coons is the favorite in Delaware’s Democratic primary — Jerusalem Post
In Delaware, United States, incumbent Democratic Senator Chris Coons is expected to win the Democratic Party primary for the U.S. Senate on September 15 by a comfortable margin. According to the Jerusalem Post, he has received backing from party establishment figures, including Delaware Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester and state Governor Matt Meyer.
Support for Israel
Coons, who serves on the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, has long supported Israel and measures to strengthen its capacity for self-defense. After Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, he visited the country as part of a bipartisan delegation.
At the same time, the politician has faced criticism from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party for refusing to support measures that would have reduced military aid to Israel. This spring, Coons was among seven Democrats who voted with Republicans against a resolution by independent Senator Bernie Sanders to halt the sale of military bulldozers to Israel. He was also among 11 Democrats who opposed another Sanders resolution on restrictions on the sale of large bombs and other defense equipment.
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Opponents and previous results
Coons faces artificial intelligence systems developer and historian Jeff Appelgans, vessel design specialist and marine engineer Mary Luv, and former business executive E. No-Trump Hansen in the primary. Appelgans has been the most active critic of Coons’ policy toward Israel, with ending U.S. support for Israel’s war in Gaza among his campaign priorities. Luv has also questioned Washington’s continued support for Israel.
This summer, Coons pledged to no longer accept donations from Palantir. According to nonprofit outlet Spotlight Delaware, the company has come under scrutiny over its work with Israel’s Ministry of Defense, the U.S. military, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. In an interview with Delaware Public Media, Coons also criticized the Trump administration’s approach to actions regarding Iran.
On the eve of the vote, prediction platform Polymarket put Coons’ chances of winning at 99.7%. In the 2020 primary, he defeated progressive candidate Jessica Scarane with nearly 73% of the vote. The Cook Political Report classifies Delaware as a state that reliably supports Democrats, and the Jerusalem Post expects the primary winner to easily defeat the Republican Party candidate in the November general election.
