Cynthia Coffman (politician)

Cynthia Honssinger Coffman (born August 26, 1961) is an American attorney and politician from the state of Colorado. A Republican, she was elected Attorney General of Colorado in 2014, serving a single term from 2015 to 2019.

Coffman unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor of Colorado in 2018.

Early life and career
Coffman graduated from the University of Missouri and received her J.D. degree from the Georgia State University College of Law. She began working in the office of the Georgia Attorney General in 1993. In 1996, she became a lawyer for the 1996 Summer Olympics, held in Atlanta. Following the Centennial Olympic Park bombing, Coffman served as a liaison to the families of the victims.

Coffman moved to Colorado in 1997 and worked for the legislative council of the Colorado Legislature. She served as legal counsel for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment from 1999 through 2004. She then served as legal counsel for Bill Owens, the Governor of Colorado, from 2004 to 2005 and as chief deputy attorney general under John Suthers, the Attorney General of Colorado, from 2004 through 2014. In 2012, Law Week Colorado named Coffman their Best Public Sector Lawyer.

Attorney General of Colorado
In 2014, Coffman ran in the election for Attorney General of Colorado. She faced Mark Waller for the Republican Party nomination. She received Suthers' endorsement. After receiving the majority of support from Colorado delegates, Waller withdrew from the race. She received financial backing from the Republican Attorneys General Association Colorado PAC. Coffman defeated Democratic nominee Don Quick 54%-40% in the general election.

As attorney general, Coffman signed Colorado onto a lawsuit which sought to roll back the Clean Power Plan. Coffman also led the state's lawsuit against Boulder County over that county's drilling moratorium.

In 2018, instead of seeking reelection as Attorney General, Coffman chose to run for governor of Colorado. She failed to win the Republican nomination and was succeeded as attorney general by Democrat Phil Weiser, who defeated Republican George Brauchler for the post. Coffman's term ended on January 9, 2019.

Personal life
In 2005, she had her second marriage to Mike Coffman, who represented co's 6th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives. The couple divorced in June 2017.