Cory Booker wins re-election as US Senator for New Jersey

NEWARK, N.J. — Winning with 56.01 percent of the vote, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) spoke at the Best Western Plus Robert Treat Hotel Ballroom last night, where he accepted his Senate victory. 

Booker, the former mayor of Newark, defeated Republican candidate Jeff Bell, and will represent New Jersey in Congress for another six years. Last night's victory followed his Senatorial triumph in last year's special election, where he took over the seat of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) after his death.

Seconds after Booker's victory was announced on screens around the ballroom, Booker strode out on stage, roaring his thanks to the crowd's deafening cheers before he even reached the podium.

“I just want to give thanks to my family, starting with my mom,” he said. “[And] I want to thank every single person around this state … this was a win earned by thousands across the state.”

He thanked his campaign manager, Brendan Gill, who had been simultaneously running for Freeholder of Essex County while also coordinating Booker’s candidacy for the Senate.

Booker also dedicated gratitude to his friends and mentors over the years, pointing out a childhood science teacher standing in the crowd.

“My parents never let me forget that I was a product of a great community,” Booker said. “We have to get back to these ideals that we’re better together.”

He said he intends to bring this ideal to Washington, a place he said is riddled with excessive partisan gridlock.

“We need leaders who reach across the aisle for progress. … That is what I’m committed to do,” he said.

He emphasized the theme of unity, stating he does not want to be referred to as “New Jersey’s Democratic Senator,” but rather, “New Jersey’s United States Senator."

Booker outlined issues on his agenda once he returns to Washington, which included job creation, job growth and economic infrastructure. He also talked about tackling broader issues.

“We used to lead the world in education — now we lead the world in incarceration,” he said. “America needs to lead again.”

Madeline Boughton, a resident of Newark, New Jersey, said she came to Booker’s victory party because she wanted to come celebrate what she already knew was going to happen.

“This election was not going to be a surprise at all … so this is exactly what I expected,” she said.

Boughton said she lived in Newark through Booker's mayoral administration, and is now living under Ras Baraka's administration.

She said Booker did a “good job” as mayor, and expects more from him in the Senate.

“He’s been a little quiet,” she said. “[I’m] not sure if that’s because he’s been in interim or if he’s waiting for something, but I do expect him to be busy.”

Once he begins his six-year term, she said she hopes he will focus on issues relevant to New Jersey.

Like Boughton, Denise Wills, a resident of Pennsauken, New Jersey, said she similarly expected Booker to be re-elected.

Wills, who attended Booker’s victory party with her daughter, said she believes Booker will remain true to himself and represent the concerns of New Jerseyans in Washington.

“Cory’s a hard worker, so he’s going to keep on fighting, and fighting and fighting for the little guy who doesn’t have a voice in Washington, and he won’t stop,” she said.

Booker will take care of people that can’t financially take care of their families, fight for women’s rights, and fight to bring money back to New Jersey, she said.

Wills said one way Booker can bring money back to New Jersey after the 2008 recession is to give businesses a reason to keep their roots in the state.

“[New Jersey] is next to last in the nation in terms of how well we’re recovering from the economy,” she said. “I really hope he focuses on our jobs … so hopefully … he’ll give companies an incentive to stay here.”

She likes Booker’s ambitious plans, but said, jokingly, that it is a type of weakness.

“I think one of Cory’s weaknesses is recognizing he can’t help everybody,” she said. “He can’t do everything.”

Click here to see what Rutgers students have to say about Sen. Cory Booker.