Booker Drops Out of Presidential Race
Senator Cory Booker announced Monday that he is suspending his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination.
“I got in this race to win, and I’ve always said I wouldn’t continue if there was no longer a path to victory,” the New Jersey senator said in a statement. “Our campaign has reached the point where we need more money to scale up and continue building a campaign that can win — money we don’t have, and money that is harder to raise because I won’t be on the next debate stage and because the urgent business of impeachment will rightly be keeping me in Washington.”
It’s with a full heart that I share this news—I’m suspending my campaign for president.
To my team, supporters, and everyone who gave me a shot—thank you. I am so proud of what we built, and I feel nothing but faith in what we can accomplish together. pic.twitter.com/Fxvc549vlJ
— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 13, 2020
Booker had struggled to gain traction in polls, where he remained in the lower single digits, and failed to qualify for Tuesday’s Democratic debate, the last before the Iowa caucuses.
He ran on a platform of rebuilding the “Obama coalition” and focused heavily on issues that affect large cities, including lightening punishments for nonviolent drug offenders. He also proposed “baby bonds,” or government savings accounts for every child born in the U.S., and a national gun licensing program.
His departure leaves only one remaining African-American candidate in the race, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick.
“So now I recommit myself to the work,” Mr. Booker said in his video announcement, adding that he will support whoever eventually snags the Democratic 2020 nomination.
“I can’t wait to get back on the campaign trail and campaign as hard as I can for whoever is the eventual nominee and for candidates up and down the ballot,” Booker said.
The former Newark mayor is up for reelection this year in New Jersey, where his Senate campaign still enjoys healthy support in the deep blue state.
