Newark Mayor Cory Booker announces his plans to run for the U.S. Senate seat that opened with the death of Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) during a news conference in Newark, N.J. on June 8, 2013. Booker, 44, is currently serving in his second term as mayor. At center is former Sen. Bill Bradley. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)
by Angela Delli Santi
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Newark Mayor Cory Booker, who formally declared his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Saturday, now finds himself competing in a primary against like-minded Democratic congressmen that will be decided in mid-summer, when exceptionally low voter turnout threatens his early advantage.
Booker made his candidacy official at a news conference in New Jersey’s largest city, which he has led since 2006. He is vying to fill the seat of U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died Monday at age 89.
Reps. Frank Pallone and Rush Holt are also planning to enter the Democratic primary. Candidates have until 4 p.m. Monday to file petitions with the secretary of state.
Booker, 44, said he would travel the state to earn every vote. He’ll have to hurry; Gov. Chris Christie set the primary for Aug. 13 and a special election for the balance of Lautenberg’s term for Oct. 16.
“We need someone in the United States Senate who’s actually had to work on difficult problems, who’s actually had to find people jobs, who’s actually had people standing in front of their homes and had to work on everything from getting people into food stamp programs to helping young people better afford college,” Booker said Saturday. A second kickoff event was planned later in the day in the predominantly minority municipality of Willingboro in South Jersey.
Pallone and Holt have yet to announce formal plans. Experts say the race could be an interesting one.
“It will be a question of who can get organizational support from county parties or labor — support from those who will knock on doors and get people out to vote,” said political analyst Patrick Murray of Monmouth University. Booker has the national profile and Pallone has more money banked — $3.7 million to Booker’s $1.9 million, as of the end of March.
The only Republican running so far is Steve Lonegan, a former Bogota mayor who runs the New Jersey office of Americans for Prosperity.
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