Norm Coleman

Norman Bertram Coleman Jr. (born August 17, 1949) is an American attorney, politician, and lobbyist who served as a Republican United States Senator from Minnesota from 2003 to 2009. Originally a Democrat with roots in anti-war activism, Coleman switched to the Republican Party in the mid-1990s, reflecting a shift toward conservative positions on economic and foreign policy issues.

Coleman began his public service career as Minnesota's chief prosecutor and state solicitor general in the 1970s and 1980s, followed by election as mayor of St. Paul in 1993. During his tenure as mayor from 1994 to 2002, he prioritized public-private partnerships that spurred over $3 billion in development, created 18,000 jobs, and attracted a National Hockey League franchise to the city, earning recognition for excellence in urban revitalization.

Norman Bertram Coleman Jr. was born on August 17, 1949, in Brooklyn, New York, to Norman Bertram Coleman Sr. and Beverly (née Behrman) Coleman. His family was Jewish, with roots tracing to Eastern European immigrants on his paternal side.

Coleman was raised in New York City, primarily in the Brooklyn borough, during a period of postwar urban growth and ethnic neighborhood dynamics typical of working-class Jewish communities in the area. He attended James Madison High School in Brooklyn, graduating before pursuing higher education. Limited public details exist on his parents' occupations or specific family socioeconomic status, though his father's death in 2007 at age 82 and mother's in 2011 at age 84 indicate they lived into advanced age in New Jersey.

His interests reflect a commitment to Jewish communal priorities, including strong support for Israel; since 2009, he has chaired the Republican Jewish Coalition, focusing on mobilizing Jewish voters toward Republican causes and critiquing perceived Democratic shortcomings on antisemitism and Israel policy. Coleman has also engaged in sports promotion, notably facilitating the return of an NHL franchise to Minnesota during his tenure as St. Paul mayor from 1994 to 2002, an effort recognized with the Minnesota Wild's State of Hockey Legacy Award on January 25, 2025. On a personal level, he pursues table tennis, a pursuit he adopted in youth due to height limitations barring taller sports like basketball.