Cory Booker will not challenge Chris Christie for the New Jersey Governor’s seat in 2013.
The mayor of Newark, N.J., instead promised to “finish the work we started,” and will see out his full term of office while considering a 2014 Senate run, he announced in a YouTube video.
Starting the video by proclaiming, “I love Newark,” Booker says serving as mayor has been the greatest privilege of his life.
Just days after a New York Times article attacked his record as mayor, Booker listed some of his accomplishments since taking his post in 2006. He claimed, for instance, that the population of the city is growing for the first time in 60 years and that he and his team “have led our city through its worst financial crisis in decades.”
A Twitter pro, Booker made the announcement on his website’s homepage, where he prominently displayed the hashtag #finishingthework.
Booker noted that he will consult with Senator Frank Lautenberg as he explores his Senate run, claiming it would be a “privilege, an honor” to continue Lautenberg’s “legacy of service.” Booker also plans to canvas hard for the Democratic ticket in New Jersey’s gubernatorial elections next year.
So there you have it: Booker, who pounded the streets of Newark to aid citizens in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, will stay rooted in Newark for the next two years, even as he eyes national office.
Photo via Corybookerdotcom/YouTube
