To no one’s surprise, President Obama officially endorsed Cory Booker for the U.S. Senate in a press release issued by Booker’s campaign.
On the same day, Republican Steve Lonegan, Booker’s opponent in the October 16 special election, got the endorsement of one of the country’s leading Republicans, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is considered a possible candidate for the presidency in 2016.
Lonegan has long been a rival of Christie, who defeated him in 2009 in a nasty campaign for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. But Christie was able to move beyond their past animosity to stand behind the Republican nominee—though it’s no secret that Christie is also a friend of Booker’s.
Booker, the mayor of Newark, holds a 16-point lead over Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, N.J. Republicans have not voted in a senator from New Jersey since 1972, when Clifford Case won re-election.
About Booker, President Obama said, “Cory Booker has dedicated his life to the work of building hope and opportunity in communities where too little of either existed. Whether as a college student working in East Palo Alto or as mayor of New Jersey’s largest city, Cory has time and again taken on tough challenges, fought for the middle class and those working to join it, and forged coalitions that create progress — and that’s the spirit he’ll carry with him to Washington.”
Booker was an important surrogate for Obama during the 2012 election, often appearing on the campaign trail and television to voice his strong support for the president and his policies.
Booker said he was “humbled” by Obama’s endorsement.
“If elected this October, I will go to the Senate to advance our shared vision of a nation where opportunity is available to anyone willing to work for it, and to ensure we’re investing in the priorities that helped build America’s middle class,” Booker said. “The President has taken on the difficult fights. He worked to turn around our economy, to make high quality, affordable health care available to every American and to keep our country safe. I look forward to continuing to work with him to advance an agenda that spreads prosperity and ensures that our nation realizes the promise of its founding.”
