Elizabeth M. Coggs
Elizabeth Monette "Beth" Coggs is an American community organizer and Democratic politician from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She served one term in the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 10th Assembly district from 2011 to 2013. She previously served 12 years on the Milwaukee [County Board of Supervisors], from 1988 to 2010. Both of her parents, Isaac N. Coggs and Marcia P. Coggs, also served in the State Assembly. Her cousin, Spencer Coggs, also served in the Assembly and the Wisconsin Senate.
She was previously known as Elizabeth Coggs-Jones during her marriage to Wendell Jones.
Background
Elizabeth Monette Coggs was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Coggs is a lifelong Milwaukee resident. Her father, Isaac Newton Coggs, was one of the third African-Americans elected to the State Assembly and the first African American elected to the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. Her mother, Marcia Priscilla Young Coggs, was the first African-American woman elected to Wisconsin State Assembly. Elizabeth graduated from Lincoln High School, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in African-American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.Politics
Milwaukee County Board
She was first elected a county supervisor in 1988, being re-elected from 1992 to 2008. As of 2010 she was the longest-serving member of the County Board.State Assembly
In 2010 she defeated two other candidates, Stephanie Findley and Sherman Hill to win the primary election for the State Assembly, in the 10th District after Annette Polly Williams announced that she was not running for election.Her only opponent was independent Ieshuh Griffin, who attracted national attention for eventually unsuccessful efforts to label herself as "NOT the 'whiteman's bitch'" on the election ballot. Coggs received 15,874 votes; Griffin 1223.
2010
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2010
Coggs defeated Independent Ieshuh Griffin in the November 2 general election. Coggs was opposed in the primary election by Stephanie Findley and Sherman Hill.
Wisconsin State Assembly, District 10 General Election
Candidates Votes
- Elizabeth Coggs
- Ieshuh Griffin 1,223
Candidates Votes Percent
- Elizabeth M. Coggs
- Stephanie Findley 1,039 26.42%
- Sherman L. Hill 268 6.82%
According to Coggs' campaign website, her focus is on faith, hope and harmony.
Committee assignments
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Coggs served on these committees:
- Aging and Long-Term Care Committee
- Consumer Protection Committee
- Urban and Local Affairs Committee
State Senate
In 2012, instead of running for re-election to the Assembly, she chose to run for the vacant Sixth Senate district, previously held by her cousin Spencer Coggs. Her July 2012 call to the mostly-black voters at an inner-city candidate forum to "vote for someone who looks like you" led to accusations that she was attacking Assemblywoman Sandy Pasch, the only white candidate in the race to replace Coggs in her 10th Assembly district seat. All her opponents were African-American, but several African-American candidates at the forum decried Coggs' remarks as racist. None of Pasch's opponents had held elected office. "I don't think anyone should vote for anyone on account of their skin color", opponent Ieshuh Griffin said of Coggs' remarks. "It's not about color."Coggs' predecessor, Polly Williams, describing Pasch as "a White suburban woman" who "can't win in her own district", expressed concern that inner-city seats such as hers could be lost to white Democrats due to alleged machinations by "non-Black forces from outside the community". She lost the Democratic primary to County Supervisor Nikiya Harris. The 10th district Democratic nomination was taken by Pasch, with over 60% of the vote.