Stanford University and Yale Law School graduate, Senator Cory Booker announced his presidential candidacy on February 1st, 2019. Beginning in local politics, Booker held a seat on the Newark City Council, eventually rising to become the first African-American U.S. Senator from New Jersey in 2013. Throughout his political career, Booker faced difficulties not only losing the mayoral council seat in 2002 but also being criticized for “not being black enough” and even having gang members plot an assassination against him because of his initiative to lower crime rates. Despite these challenges Booker still keeps an ambitious attitude.
Seen as having a very active social media presence, particularly Twitter, Cory Booker has been known by headlines to constantly interact with his constituents and residents online. For instance, during the snowstorm of 2010, he responded to a complaint of a blocked driveway and personally drove to shovel it with the help of other volunteers. Also making headlines, in 2012 Booker saved a woman from a burning house gaining him more media recognition. In his earlier years, he could be seen helping to patrol streets at late hours, reducing his own salary by 8%, and participating in a 10 day fast while living in a tent with a drug stricken community. His actions allude to some of his main focuses when campaigning include reducing crime, drug, and poverty rates in his city.
Continuing with a focus on criminal justice Booker has proposed plans for changing penalties and reduced sentences for nonviolent crimes. He also supports the legalization of marijuana and erasing criminal records from those who were convicted of marijuana-related crimes. Booker is passionate about include environmental justice as he is a supporter of the New Green Deal and a known vegan. He is pro-choice and favors same-sex marriages. Like Bernie Sanders he supports the Medicare for All Act and debt-free college, however, his education reform ideas are not as progressive as other candidates.