Cory Booker

Cory Booker

Democratic Party

U.S. Senate New Jersey

Tenure

2013 - Present

Term ends

2027

Years in position

8

Predecessor

Jeff Chiesa

Prior offices

Mayor of Newark New Jersey

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Report an officeholder change

Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 3, 2020

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Campaign Instagram

Campaign YouTube

Personal LinkedIn

Cory Booker (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from New Jersey. He assumed office on October 31, 2013. His current term ends on January 3, 2027.

Booker (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent New Jersey. He won in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Booker also ran for election for President of the United States. He withdrew before the Democratic convention on August 18, 2020.

Booker announced that he was running for president of the United States on February 1, 2019.^[1][2] He suspended his presidential campaign on January 13, 2020.^[3]

Before being elected to the Senate, Booker served as the 36th mayor of Newark. He also served on the Newark City Council for the Central Ward.^[4]

In September 2017, he was rated the third most liberal senator based on his voting record, according to The New York Times.^[5]

Biography[edit]

Booker was born in 1969 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Harrington Park, New Jersey. He attended Stanford University on a varsity football scholarship, receiving a B.A. in 1991 and an M.A. in 1992. Booker was a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, where he earned a graduate degree in history in 1994. He then attended Yale Law School, graduating with a J.D. in 1997.^[6][7]

After completing his education, Booker moved into a public housing project in Newark, New Jersey, became a tenant organizer, and founded a nonprofit that provided legal assistance to low-income families. He was elected to the Newark City Council in 1998 and served there until 2002, when he ran unsuccessfully for mayor. The same year, he became a partner at Booker, Rabinowitz, Trenk, Lubetkin, Tully, DiPasquale & Webster. In 2006, Booker ran again for mayor of Newark and was elected with 72% of the vote. He served as mayor until 2013.^[8][6][7][9]

On October 16, 2013, Booker won a special election to the U.S. Senate after the death of Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D). Booker was re-elected to the U.S. Senate on November 4, 2014.^[6][10]

In 2016, Booker published a memoir titled United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good.^[6]

Career[edit]

Below is an abbreviated outline of Booker's academic, professional, and political career:^[11]

• 2013-Present: U.S. Senator from New Jersey
• 2006-2013: Mayor of Newark, New Jersey
• 1998-2002: Newark City Council
• 1997: Graduated from Yale Law School with a J.D.
• 1994: Graduated from Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar
• 1992: Graduated from Stanford University with an M.A.
• 1991: Graduated from Stanford University with a B.A.

Possible 2016 SCOTUS nominee[edit]

See also: Process to fill the vacated seat of Justice Antonin Scalia

Prior to President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland, Booker was mentioned as a possible nominee to replace former United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on February 13, 2016.^[12]

Committee assignments[edit]

U.S. Senate[edit]

2021-2022

Booker was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Subcommittee On Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, And Counterterrorism
• Subcommittee On Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, And International Economic, Energy, And Environmental Policy
• Subcommittee On Africa And Global Health Policy
• Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources
• Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition, Specialty Crops, Organics, and Research, Chair
• Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, Poultry, Local Food Systems, and Food Safety and Security
• Committee on the Judiciary
• Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Chair
• Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights
• Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety
• Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

2019-2020

Booker was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Committee on the Judiciary
• Committee on Foreign Relations

2017-2018[edit]

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Booker was assigned to the following committees:^[13]

• Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Committee on Foreign Relations
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Committee on the Judiciary

2015-2016[edit]

Booker served on the following committees:^[14]

• Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, Ranking Member
  • Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security, Ranking Member
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Superfund, Waste Management, and Regulatory Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife
• Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
  • Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management
  • Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

2013-2014[edit]

Booker served on the following committees:^[15]

• Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet
  • Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, and Insurance
  • Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Oversight Chairman
  • Subcommittee on Superfund, Toxics and Environmental Health
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee

Key votes[edit]

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020[edit]

Key votes: 115th Congress, 2017-2018[edit]

For detailed information about each vote, click here.

• Votes on domestic policy (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: First Step Act of 2018 (S 756)

   Motion Agreed to (87-12) on December 18, 2018

  Proposed making changes to the criminal justice system.^[16]

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Conference Report Agreed to (87-13) on December 11, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance through fiscal year 2023.^[17]

  Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)

   Nomination Confirmed (50-48) on October 6, 2018

  Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States^[18]

  Voted Nay on: "Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States" (PN2259)

   Cloture Motion Agreed to (51-49) on October 5, 2018

  Brett M. Kavanaugh, of Maryland, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States^[19]

  Voted Yea on: Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (HR 2)

   Bill Passed (86-11, 3/5 majority required) on June 28, 2018

  Proposed providing funding for commodity support, conservation, trade and international food aid, nutrition assistance, farm credit, rural development, research and extension activities, forestry, horticulture, and crop insurance.^[20]

  Voted Nay on: Immigration reform proposal from Sen. Chuck Grassley and the Trump administration (S Amdt 1959 to HR 2579)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (39-60, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

  Proposed providing a path to citizenship for 1.8 million individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, limits on chain migration or family-based migration, and eliminating the visa lottery system.^[21]

  Voted Yea on: Immigration reform proposal from the Common Sense Coalition (S Amdt 1958 to HR 2579)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

  Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children, $25 billion for border security, and limitations on chain or family-based immigration.^[22]

  Voted Nay on: Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act amendment (S Amdt 1948 to S Amdt 1959)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (54-45, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

  Proposed withholding funding from sanctuary jurisdictions for not cooperating with federal immigration officials.^[23]

  Voted Yea on: Coons-McCain immigration plan (S Amdt 1955 to S Amdt 1958)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (52-47, 3/5 majority required) on February 15, 2018

  Proposed providing a path to citizenship for individuals brought into the U.S. without legal permission as children and conducting a study to determine what border security measures were needed. It also proposed requiring the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to secure the U.S.-Mexico border by 2021.^[24]

  Voted Nay on: Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S 2311)

   Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected (51-46, 3/5 majority required) on January 29, 2018

  Proposed amending the federal criminal code to make it a crime for any person to perform or attempt to perform an abortion if the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus was 20 weeks or more. The bill proposed providing exceptions for an abortion: (1) that was necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest.^[25]

  Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it—"Skinny bill" (S Amdt 667 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628 the American Health Care Act of 2017)

   Amendment Rejected (49-51) on July 28, 2017

  The amendment proposed repealing the requirements for individuals to enroll in health insurance and for employers to offer it.^[26]

  Voted Nay on: An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271) (S Amdt 271 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)

   Amendment Rejected (45-55) on July 26, 2017

  An amendment to repeal the ACA, including Paul amendment (No. 271)^[27]

  Voted Nay on: Motion to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, including Cruz and Portman amendments (S Amdt 270 to S Amdt 267 to HR 1628)

   Motion Rejected (43-57, 3/5 majority required) on July 25, 2017

  A procedural vote to advance the Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017 (BCRA), including the Cruz and Portman amendments.^[28]

  Voted Nay on: Motion to begin debate on the American Health Care Act of 2017 (HR 1628)

   Motion to Proceed Agreed to (50-50, Vice President voted Yea) on July 25, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017.^[29]

  Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(4)—confirmation vote)

   Nomination Confirmed (54-45) on April 7, 2017

  Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—confirmation vote.^[30]

  Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(3))

   Cloture Motion Agreed to (55-45) on April 6, 2017

  Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—second vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination under the new precedent requiring only a simple majority to pass.^[31]

  
  

  Voted Yea on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55(2))

   Decision of Chair Not Sustained (48-52) on April 6, 2017

  Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—a vote to keep the Senate precedent of requiring 60 votes to close debate on Supreme Court nominations.^[32]

  Voted Nay on: Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States (PN55)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (55-45, 3/5 majority required) on April 6, 2017

  Neil M. Gorsuch, of Colorado, to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States—initial vote to end debate and move to a vote on Gorsuch's nomination.^[33]

• Votes on economic affairs and regulations (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)

   Conference Report Agreed to (93-7) on September 18, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[34]

  Voted Yea on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)

   Conference Report Agreed to (92-5) on September 12, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[35]

  Voted Yea on: "Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 6157)

   Bill Passed (85-7) on August 23, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Departments of Defense, Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Education.^[36]

  Did not vote on: "Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019" (HR 5895)

   Bill Passed (86-5) on June 25, 2018

  Proposed authorizing FY2019 appropriations and policies for the Department of Energy, water resources, the legislative branch, military construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, among other programs.^[37]

  Voted Nay on: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1625)

   Motion Agreed to (65-32) on March 23, 2018

  Proposed providing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes.^[38]

  Voted Nay on: The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (HR 1892)

   Motion Agreed to (71-28) on February 9, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018^[39]

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 695)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (55-44, 3/5 majority required) on February 8, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through March 23, 2018.^[40]

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

   Motion Agreed to (81-18) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[41]

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

   Cloture Motion Agreed to (81-18, 3/5 majority required) on January 22, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through February 8, 2018.^[42]

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 195)

   Cloture Motion Rejected (50-49, 3/5 majority required) on January 19, 2018

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[43]

  Voted Nay on: Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 (HR 1370)

   Motion Agreed to (66-32, 3/5 majority required) on December 21, 2017

  Proposed providing further continuing appropriations through January 19, 2018.^[44]

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Motion Agreed to (51-48) on December 20, 2017

  Proposed providing for reconciliation pursuant to titles II and V of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018 and proposed changes to the tax code.^[45]

  Voted Nay on: "A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, and for other purposes." (HJ Res 123)

   Joint Resolution Passed (81-14) on December 7, 2017

  Proposed funding the government until December 22, 2017.^[46]

  Voted Nay on: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1)

   Bill Passed (51-49) on December 2, 2017

  Proposed amending the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses.^[47]

  Voted Nay on: A concurrent resolution establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027. (H Con Res 71)

   Concurrent Resolution Agreed to (51-49) on October 19, 2017

  Proposed establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.^[48]

  Voted Yea on: Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2017 (Included amendments to suspend the debt ceiling and fund the government) (HR 601)

   Motion Agreed to (80-17) on September 7, 2017

  Proposed suspending the debt ceiling and funding the government until December 8, 2017, and providing funding for Hurricanes Harvey and Irma relief efforts.^[49]

  Voted Yea on: Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017 (HR 244)

   Motion Agreed to (79-18) on May 4, 2017

  The $1.2 trillion budget bill proposed funding the government through the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2017.^[50]

• Votes on foreign policy and national security issues (click to expand)

  Voted Yea on: "A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress." (SJ Res 54)

   Joint Resolution Passed (56-41) on December 13, 2018

  Proposed removing United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that were not authorized by Congress.^[51]

  Voted Yea on: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (HR 2810)

   Bill Passed (89-8) on September 18, 2017

  Proposed authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, and to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. On November 15, 2017, the Senate passed the defense policy bill by voice vote. This bill was the result of compromises made in the conference report. For more information on the compromise bill, click here.^[52][53]

  Voted Yea on: Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (HR 3364)

   Bill Passed (98-2) on July 27, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[54]

  Voted Yea on: Countering Iran's Destabilizing Activities Act of 2017 (S 722)

   Bill Passed (98-2) on June 15, 2017

  Proposed providing congressional review and proposed countering aggression by the governments of Iran, the Russian Federation, and North Korea, and for other purposes.^[55]

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress[edit]

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress[edit] The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[56][57] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Booker's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.[58] Economic and fiscal[edit] Trade Act of 2015[edit] See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Booker voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill.[59][60] Trade promotion authority On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Booker was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015.[61][62][63] 2016 Budget proposal[edit] On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Booker, voted against the resolution.[64][65][66] Defense spending authorization[edit] On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.[67][68] Booker voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill.[69] On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.[70] On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Booker voted with 21 Democrats, two Republicans and one Independent against the bill.[71] The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015.[72] President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.[73] 2015 budget[edit] On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.[74] Booker voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill.[75] It passed the House on October 28, 2015.[76] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs[edit] Iran nuclear deal[edit] See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Booker, approved the bill.[77][78] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42.[79] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Booker voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.[80] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42.[81] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Booker voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval.[82] The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42.[83] Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran."[84] Booker voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment.[85] Domestic[edit] USA FREEDOM Act of 2015[edit] On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Booker voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.[86][87] Cyber security[edit] On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21.[88] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Booker voted with 13 Democrats, six Republicans and one independent against the bill.[89] Immigration[edit] On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement."[90] Booker voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill.[91]

Issues[edit]

Presidential preference[edit]

2016 presidential endorsement[edit]

✓ Booker endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.^[92]

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

2016 Presidential Endorsements by U.S. Senators
State Sen.	Candidate	Date	Source
Angus King	Hillary Clinton	July 2016	Politico
Elizabeth Warren	Hillary Clinton	June 2016	The Boston Globe
Bob Menendez	Hillary Clinton	May 2016	Philly.com
Roy Blunt	Donald Trump	May 2016	The Atlantic
Richard Burr	Donald Trump	May 2016	IndyWeek.com
Mitch McConnell	Donald Trump	May 2016	Politico
Cory Gardner	Ted Cruz	April 2016	The Hill
Pat Toomey	Ted Cruz	April 2016	The Morning Call
Jeff Merkley	Bernie Sanders	April 2016	The New York Times
Mike Lee (Utah)	Ted Cruz	March 2016	Politico
Lamar Alexander	Marco Rubio	February 2016	Politico
Jeff Sessions	Donald Trump	February 2016	Politico
Harry Reid	Hillary Clinton	February 2016	Politico
Dan Coats	Marco Rubio	February 2016	Bloomberg
Dean Heller	Marco Rubio	February 2016	Politico
Tim Scott	Marco Rubio	February 2016	NBC News
Ron Wyden	Hillary Clinton	January 2016	The Oregonian
Jack Reed	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	Providence Journal
Heidi Heitkamp	Hillary Clinton	October 2015	The Huffington Post
Ed Markey	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	WBUR
Gary Peters	Hillary Clinton	May 2015	The Hill
Michael Bennet	Hillary Clinton	May 2015	The Hill
Bob Casey, Jr.	Hillary Clinton	April 2015	CBS Pittsburgh
Tom Udall	Hillary Clinton	April 2015	Albuquerque Journal
Jeanne Shaheen	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	WMUR
Brian Schatz	Hillary Clinton	February 2015	Honolulu Civil Beat
Mazie Hirono	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	CNN
Al Franken	Hillary Clinton	December 2014	The Huffington Post
Mark Warner	Hillary Clinton	July 2014	The Hill
Martin Heinrich	Hillary Clinton	July 2014	New Mexico Telegram
Patrick Leahy	Hillary Clinton	June 2014	Vermont Public Radio
Dick Durbin	Hillary Clinton	May 2014	Politico
Amy Klobuchar	Hillary Clinton	June 2014	Politico
Debbie Stabenow	Hillary Clinton	May 2014	CNN
Tim Kaine	Hillary Clinton	May 2014	The Washington Post
Sheldon Whitehouse	Hillary Clinton	January 2014	The New York Times
Chris Murphy (Connecticut)	Hillary Clinton	June 2015	The Connecticut Mirror
Richard Blumenthal	Hillary Clinton	June 2014	WestportNow.com
Joe Manchin III	Hillary Clinton	January 2014	Politico
Maria Cantwell	Hillary Clinton	January 2014	The New York Times
Tammy Baldwin	Hillary Clinton	January 2014	The New York Times
Dianne Feinstein	Hillary Clinton	December 2013	MSNBC
Kirsten Gillibrand	Hillary Clinton	August 2014	People
Patty Murray	Hillary Clinton	November 2013	Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Chuck Schumer	Hillary Clinton	November 2013	The Washington Post
Barbara Boxer	Hillary Clinton	October 2013	ABC News
Claire McCaskill	Hillary Clinton	June 2013	Politico
Jim Inhofe	Marco Rubio	January 2016	Politico
Rob Portman	John Kasich (primary) Donald Trump (general)	August 2016	The Columbia Dispatch
Thad Cochran	Jeb Bush	December 2015	USA Today
John Boozman	Mike Huckabee	September 2015	Politico
Mike Rounds	Mike Huckabee	September 2015	Politico
Orrin Hatch	Jeb Bush	August 2015	Deseret News
Susan Collins	Jeb Bush	July 2015	Portland Press Herald
John McCain	Lindsey Graham (primary)	January 2015	Bloomberg.com
Bill Nelson (Florida)	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	Miami Herald
Barbara Mikulski	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	Baltimore Sun
Ben Cardin	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	Baltimore Sun
Chris Coons	Hillary Clinton	November 2015	CNN
Jim Risch	Marco Rubio	November 2015	Politico
Steve Daines	Marco Rubio	November 2015	The Huffington Post
Sherrod Brown	Hillary Clinton	October 2015	MSNBC
Tom Carper	Hillary Clinton	October 2015	Roll Call
Cory Booker	Hillary Clinton	June 2015	NBC News

Elections[edit]

2020[edit]

U.S. Senate[edit]

See also: United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020 (July 7 Republican primary)

United States Senate election in New Jersey, 2020 (July 7 Democratic primary)

General election for U.S. Senate New Jersey

The following candidates ran in the general election for U.S. Senate New Jersey on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cory Booker (D)	57.2	2,541,178
		Rik Mehta (R)	40.9	1,817,052
		Madelyn Hoffman (G)	0.9	38,288
		Veronica Fernandez (Of, By, For! Party)	0.7	32,290
		Daniel Burke (Larouche Was Right Party)	0.3	11,632
		Luis Vergara (Independent) (Write-in)		0

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 4,440,440
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Incumbent Cory Booker defeated Lawrence Hamm in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on July 7, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Cory Booker	87.6	838,110
		Lawrence Hamm	12.4	118,802

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 956,912
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey

Rik Mehta defeated Hirsh Singh, Tricia Flanagan, Natalie Rivera, and Eugene Anagnos in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate New Jersey on July 7, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Rik Mehta	38.0	154,817
		Hirsh Singh	35.9	146,133
		Tricia Flanagan	17.8	72,678
		Natalie Rivera	5.3	21,650
		Eugene Anagnos	3.0	12,047

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 407,325
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Navodaya Garepalli (R)
• Gary Rich (R)
• Lisa McCormick (D)
• Harsh Naik (D)
• Stuart David Meissner (R)

Presidency[edit]

See also: Presidential candidates, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) won the presidential election on November 3, 2020. Biden received 306 electoral votes and President Donald Trump (R) received 232 electoral votes. In the national popular vote, Biden received 81.2 million votes and Trump received 74.2 million votes.

Booker announced that he was running for president on February 1, 2019.^[1] He suspended his presidential campaign on January 13, 2020.^[3]

Ballotpedia compiled the following resources about Booker and the 2020 presidential election:

• News stories about the 2020 presidential election;
• An overview of key national and state campaign staffers;
• Endorsements from politicians, public figures, and organizations;
• An overview of candidate campaign travel; and
• A list of other presidential candidates running for election.

Click here for Booker's 2020 presidential campaign overview.

2016[edit]

In August 2013, Booker ruled out a run on the ticket of the presidential campaign in 2016.^[93] When asked whether he would rule out running himself or being the vice presidential nominee, Booker answered, “Absolutely yes, unequivocally," adding that his focus was on winning the seat and serving six years, which is a full Senate term.^[93]

2014[edit]

See also: United States Senate elections in New Jersey, 2014

Booker won re-election to the U.S. Senate in the 2014 election, representing New Jersey. He defeated Jeff Bell (R), Joe Baratelli (L), Jeff Boss (I), Antonio N. Sabas (I), Eugene Lavergne (Democratic-Republican) and Hank Schroeder (Economic Growth).^[94] Booker ran uncontested for the Democratic nomination in the primary on June 3, 2014. The general election took place on November 4, 2014.

U.S. Senate, New Jersey General Election, 2014
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Cory Booker Incumbent	55.8%	1,043,866
	Republican	Jeff Bell	42.3%	791,297
	Libertarian	Joe Baratelli	0.9%	16,721
	Independent	Jeff Boss	0.2%	4,513
	Independent	Antonio N. Sabas	0.2%	3,544
	Democratic-Republican	Eugene Lavergne	0.2%	3,890
	Economic Growth	Hank Schroeder	0.3%	5,704
Total Votes				1,869,535
Source: New Jersey Division of Elections

2013[edit]

See also: United States Senate special election in New Jersey, 2013

Booker ran for U.S. Senate in the special election for the seat left vacant by the death of Frank Lautenberg (D).^[95][96][97] Booker defeated U.S. Representatives Rush D. Holt, Jr. and Frank Pallone and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver for the Democratic party nomination in the primary election on August 13, 2013.^[94][98][99] He defeated Steve Lonegan (R) and independent candidates Robert Depasquale, Eugene Martin Lavergne, Stuart David Meissner, Pablo Olivera, Antonio N. Sabas and Edward Stackhouse, Jr. in the general election on October 16, 2013.^[100] He was sworn into office on October 31, 2013.^[101]

U.S. Senate, New Jersey Special General Election, 2013
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Cory Booker	54.9%	740,742
	Republican	Steve Lonegan	44%	593,684
	Independent	Edward C. Stackhouse	0.4%	5,138
	Independent	Robert DePasquale	0.2%	3,137
	Independent	Stuart Meissner	0.2%	2,051
	Independent	Pablo Olivera	0.1%	1,530
	Independent	Antonio N. Sabas	0.1%	1,336
	Independent	Eugene LaVergne	0.1%	1,041
Total Votes				1,348,659
Source: Official results via New Jersey Division of Elections[102]

U.S. Senate, New Jersey Special Democratic Primary, 2013
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Cory Booker	59.2%	216,936
Frank Pallone	19.8%	72,584
Rush Holt	16.8%	61,463
Sheila Oliver	4.3%	15,656
Total Votes		366,639
Source: Official Election Results from New Jersey Division of Elections[103]

Endorsements[edit]

Cancelled appearance by Biden[edit]

Vice President Joe Biden's planned visit to New Jersey on October 11, 2013, to help campaign for Booker, was canceled due the government shutdown.^[104]

Mo Cowan[edit]

Just weeks before leaving office as the interim Senator in Massachusetts, Mo Cowan endorsed Booker on June 4, 2013, for the seat.^[105] Cowan observed that he had been the eighth black U.S. Senator, and continued by saying, “As I vacate the hallowed halls of Congress, perhaps he’ll come in not too late after me and continue I hope is a very popular trend in the Congress, particular in the Senate, which is to continue to show representation of all people."^[105] On June 9, 2013, Booker received the backing of George E. Norcross III, an insurance executive and hospital chairman who is seen as "the most powerful figure in New Jersey Democratic politics" according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.^[106]

Campaign themes[edit]

2020[edit]

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Cory Booker did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Polls[edit]

November 2012 (Post-Superstorm Sandy)[edit]

Between November 14-17, 2012, Rutgers and the Eagleton Institute of Politics surveyed 1,228 registered New Jersey voters through live telephone interviews. The respondents were given a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and five potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for in the 2013 election. The margin of error was +/- 2.9 percent. ^[107]

October 2012[edit]

Between October 10-14, 2012, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,405 registered New Jersey voters through live telephone interviews. The respondents were give a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and four potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for in the 2013 election. The margin of error was +/- 2.6 percent. Leading the pack of likely challengers was Booker, who trailed Christie 46-42. A similar survey conducted in early September had Booker behind seven percentage points.^[108][109]

July 2011[edit]

Between July 15-18, 2011, Public Policy Polling surveyed 480 New Jersey voters. The respondents were give a series of hypothetical match-ups between incumbent Chris Christie and four potential Democratic candidates, and asked which of the two candidates they would vote for.^[110]

Presidential preference[edit]

2020[edit]

See also: Presidential election in New Jersey, 2020 and Democratic National Convention, 2020

Booker ran for president of the United States in 2020. After he withdrew, Booker endorsed Joe Biden (D) in the 2020 presidential election.^[111]

2016[edit]

See also: Presidential election in New Jersey, 2016 and Democratic National Convention, 2016

Booker endorsed Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election. ^[112]

Campaign donors[edit]

Comprehensive donor history[edit]

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

2014[edit]

Booker won re-election to the U.S. Senate in 2014. During that election cycle, Booker's campaign committee raised a total of $17,718,139 and spent $16,871,163.^[113] This is more than the average $10.6 million spent by Senate winners in 2014.^[114]

Cost per vote[edit]

Booker spent $16.16 per general election vote received in 2014.

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Booker's campaign funds before the 2014 election.

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Booker's reports.^[115]

Personal Gain Index[edit]

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth[edit]

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Booker's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $222,018 and $730,000. That averages to $476,009, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic senators in 2012 of $13,566,333.90. Booker ranked as the 83rd most wealthy senator in 2012.^[128] Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.^[129]

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric[edit]

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). Booker received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2013-2014, 36.11 percent of Booker's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.^[130]

Analysis[edit]

Ideology and leadership[edit]

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Booker was a moderate Democratic follower as of July 2014.^[131]

Like-minded colleagues[edit]

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.^[132] Booker most often votes with:

• Mazie Hirono
• Susan Collins

Booker least often votes with:

• Joe Manchin III
• Jim Risch

Lifetime voting record[edit]

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Booker missed 15 of 710 roll call votes from Otober 2013 to September 2015. This amounts to 2.1 percent, which is worse than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.^[133]

Noteworthy events[edit]

Possible 2016 Democratic vice presidential candidate[edit]

See also: Possible vice presidential picks, 2016

Booker was mentioned as a possible Democratic vice presidential candidate. On July 22, 2016, Hillary Clinton announced that she had selected U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) as her running mate.^[134]

Ballot measure activity[edit]

The following table details Booker's ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:

Ballot measure support and opposition for Cory Booker
Ballot measure	Year	Position	Status
California Tax on Commercial and Industrial Properties for Education and Local Government Funding Initiative	2020	Supported[135]	d Defeated

Personal[edit]

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Father's passing[edit]

Booker's father, Cary Booker, passed away on October 10, 2013, just six days before the special election for the New Jersey Senate seat.^[136] The 76 year old suffered a stroke shortly before his death.^[136]

The city of Newark released a statement, commenting that he was a well-regarded member of the community: “Many people in our city came to know and love Cary Booker. Mayor Booker’s father was an inspiration to him, and someone the mayor has often credited with being a principal reason for him entering public service.”^[136]

Twitter use[edit]

Before Booker was elected to the U.S. Senate, he had already sent out a record number of "tweets" on Twitter. He had logged 3,000 tweets between January 1, 2013, and June 25, 2013, which was nearly twice the record for a U.S. Senator during that same time period.^[137] He used his Twitter account for purposes including, "updating his campaign stops, promoting voter registration drives, deflecting romantic entreaties from smitten fans, and broadcasting the philosophical musings of Gautama Buddha, Babe Ruth and, well, himself."^[137]

In the U.S. Senate, the top Twitter users included:^[137]

• John Cornyn (R) of Texas with 1,720 tweets
• Bernie Sanders (I) of Vermont with 1,445 tweets
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D) of New York with 1,181 tweets
• Patty Murray (D) of Washington with 1,068 tweets
• Mike Crapo (R) of Idaho with 1,016 tweets

Speculation about personal life[edit]

Although Booker occasionally made comments about old girlfriends and referred to himself as a "straight male" in an interview, he generally avoided talk of his personal life during his 2013 run for U.S. Senate. This, along with some of Booker's other comments, led to various rumors speculating that he may have been homosexual. However, rather than dispelling these rumors, Booker seemed to welcome them, stating that sexuality should not be important anyway. In one interview with The Washington Post, Booker explained, "And people who think I'm gay, some part of me thinks it's wonderful. Because I want to challenge people on their homophobia. I love seeing on Twitter when someone says I'm gay, and I say, 'So what does it matter if I am? So be it. I hope you are not voting for me because you are making the presumption that I'm straight.'"^[138]

During the 2013 special election in which Booker won his U.S. Senate seat, Booker's sexuality became a heated topic of discussion. After Booker admitted to an interviewer from the magazine, Du Jour, that he enjoyed manicures and pedicures, Booker's Republican challenger, Steve Lonegan, commented that this activity was "kind of weird." Booker explained that an ex-girlfriend had introduced him to pedicures, and he added, "It's this guilty pleasure I have. Look, manis are good, but pedis — there's something ... transformative." Lonegan did not say whether or not he believed the rumors of Booker's sexuality, but he speculated that Booker may have been encouraging the rumors because "Maybe that helps to get him the gay vote, by acting ambiguous."^[138]

See also[edit]

2020 Elections

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External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

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