Cory Booker is an American lawyer and politician serving as New Jersey’s senior United States senator, a seat he has held since 2013 (first elected in the 2013 special election). Before the Senate, he rose to national prominence as Mayor of Newark (2006–2013), following earlier service on the Newark Municipal Council.
Born April 27, 1969, in Washington, D.C., and raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey, Booker graduated from Stanford University, studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, and earned his J.D. from Yale Law School. His public profile blends moral urgency, coalition-building rhetoric, and high-visibility constituent-style engagement.
In the Senate, Booker has focused on criminal justice reform, voting rights, housing, public health, and anti-poverty policy. He ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, and he has remained a prominent national Democratic voice with a brand that emphasizes empathy, civic belonging, and reform-oriented governance.
Institutionally, Booker sits on major policy committees including Judiciary and Foreign Relations. His committee mix gives him reach across domestic legal issues and international affairs, while his New Jersey profile keeps him active on urban-focused economic and social policy.
Mainstream Liberal
Committee Assignments
Caucus Memberships
Achievements
- Played a leading role in bipartisan criminal justice reform, including major sentencing and prison-reform legislation.
- High-profile national messenger on civic unity, voting rights, and reform politics; ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.
- Longstanding focus on housing and urban policy rooted in his Newark mayoralty, including anti-poverty and community safety agendas.
- Prominent Judiciary Committee voice on civil rights, oversight, and legal system reforms.
- Maintains cross-party relationships on discrete bills despite a generally progressive voting record.
Controversies
- Progressives have periodically criticized donor alignment (notably finance/pharma/tech ties) and select votes framed as too establishment-friendly.
- Supported convicted felon Charles Kushner (now pardoned by President Trump) for ambassadorship
- High-visibility, inspirational style sometimes criticized as more brand-forward than legislative “inside baseball.”
- Has taken heat for specific foreign-policy and confirmation votes that cut against parts of the Democratic base.
Top Donors
| Donor | Total | Individuals | PACs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul, Weiss et al | $355,132 | $355,132 | $0 |
| NorPAC | $227,544 | $222,544 | $5,000 |
| Gibbons PC | $187,296 | $177,296 | $10,000 |
| Sullivan & Cromwell | $181,650 | $181,650 | $0 |
| Stanford University | $169,309 | $169,309 | $0 |
Amounts shown reflect organization-linked giving; most funds listed here are from individual donors or aligned PACs.
Recent Elections
2013 Margin D +10.9%
2014 Margin D +13.5%
2020 Margin D +16.3%