What Happened to Cory Anthony Booker?

Cory Anthony Booker's political career began in Newark, New Jersey, where he first served on the Municipal Council for the Central Ward from 1998 to 2002. During this period, he gained recognition for his advocacy for urban development and social justice, including a notable 10-day hunger strike to draw attention to the city's issues. He then served as the 38th Mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013. Under his leadership, Newark experienced significant economic growth, a reduction in crime rates, and an expansion of affordable housing and green spaces, leaving the city with a balanced budget for the first time in a decade.

In October 2013, Booker successfully ran in a special election to represent New Jersey in the United States Senate, becoming the first African-American U.S. Senator from the state. He was re-elected to a full six-year term in 2014 and again in 2020. As a Senator, Booker has focused on issues of racial and social justice, playing a leading role in crafting the First Step Act, a bipartisan criminal justice reform bill that became law in December 2018. He also became New Jersey's senior senator when Bob Menendez resigned in August 2024.

Booker sought the Democratic nomination for president in the 2020 U.S. presidential election, suspending his campaign in January 2020. Despite this, he has remained a prominent national figure. In January 2025, he assumed the role of Chair of the Senate Democratic Strategic Communications Committee. A significant event in 2025 was his record-breaking 25-hour and five-minute speech on the Senate floor from March 31 to April 1, 2025, protesting the second presidency of Donald Trump.

As of March 2026, Senator Booker is actively preparing for his re-election campaign for the U.S. Senate, with his current term ending in January 2027. He declared his candidacy for the Democratic primary scheduled for June 2, 2026, and has raised over $30 million for his campaign, indicating strong grassroots support. On March 9, 2026, he introduced the 'Keep Your Pay Act,' a proposal to eliminate federal income taxes on the first $75,000 of income for most households and expand key tax credits, partially offset by raising corporate and top individual tax rates. This legislative push, alongside a national book tour for his book 'Stand' starting in March 2026, has fueled speculation about a potential 2028 presidential run. In his personal life, Booker married Alexis Lewis, a real estate investor, in November 2025.

Booker continues to be an active legislator, reintroducing bipartisan bills in March 2026 to strengthen wastewater testing systems and address wastewater needs for low-income households. He also voiced strong criticism in March 2026 regarding the executive branch's use of war powers, particularly concerning the Iran conflict, calling both parties 'feckless' for ceding such authority. His current committee assignments for 2025-2026 include the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry (where he is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commodities, Derivatives, Risk Management, and Trade), the Committee on the Judiciary (Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy, and Consumer Rights), and the Committee on Foreign Relations (Chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy).