Booker secures third term in New Jersey Senate race
The Democrat defeated Republican Justin Murphy and two other candidates to retain his seat, citing economic relief as a key campaign goal.
By Kenji Hassan ·
Cory Booker has won reelection to his third full term in the U.S. Senate for New Jersey. The Associated Press declared the Democrat the winner at 8:01 p.m. on Tuesday. He defeated Republican Justin Murphy, an attorney and former Tabernacle Township Committeeman. Independent candidate Veronica Fernandez and Socialist Workers Party candidate Joanne Kuniansky also ran in the race.
New Jersey has a substantial Democratic registration advantage. State records show 2,572,254 registered Democrats compared to 1,686,614 registered Republicans. Booker ran unopposed in the Democratic primary in June. He has not ruled out a presidential run in 2028.
Booker focused his campaign on providing financial relief to residents struggling with the cost of living. He told WHYY News that helping working families make ends meet was a top priority. He also stated he would continue to challenge the Trump administration. He described his goal as putting a check on an agenda of chaos, corruption, and cruelty.
The candidates clashed on the Iran war and the economy during a debate on Oct. 8. Booker opposed the conflict, arguing it created a cost-of-living crisis. He said the closure of the Strait of Hormuz exacerbated the issue. He maintained that military force should be a last resort after diplomacy fails.
Murphy supported the war. He argued that Iran would use a nuclear weapon if it possessed one. He described such an event as a disaster. Murphy praised President Donald Trump’s handling of the economy. He cited the poverty rate declining to 10.2% last year. That figure represents the lowest level since the U.S. Census Bureau began tracking the statistic in 1959.
Booker has a long record in the Senate. He won a special election in 2013 to fill the seat left vacant by the death of Frank Lautenberg. He was reelected to a full six-year term in 2014. He won his second full term in November 2020. Last April, he delivered the longest continuous speech in Senate history. That address lasted 25 hours and 5 minutes and criticized several actions by Trump.
Booker lives in Newark with his wife. He now returns to his seat in Washington, D.C., to begin his next term representing New Jersey.
Source: WHYY-FM
