Cory Booker Wins 2020 NJ Senate Election, AP Says

NEW JERSEY — Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat who was first elected to his post in 2013, won re-election against challengers Rik Mehta of the Republican Party, Madelyn Hoffman of the Green Party, and independent candidates Daniel Burke and Veronica Fernandez, according to The Associated Press.

With 4,371 of 6,348 precincts reported as of Thursday, the Associated Press has declared Booker the winner. Here are the unofficial results, which still need to be certified:

• Cory Booker - 1,861,287
• Rik Mehta - 1,224,642
• Madelyn Hoffman - 24,906
• Veronica Fernandez - 18,746
• Daniel Burke - 6,974

New Jersey’s US Senate seats have long been a stronghold for the Democratic Party. The last Republican who emerged victorious on Election Day was Clifford Case in 1972.

That trend seemed to bear a good likelihood of repeating itself in 2020, with Booker showing a consistent lead over Mehta in recent polls.

In a poll from Stockton University taken on Oct. 16, Booker held a 25-point statewide lead over Mehta at 57 percent and 32 percent. Even among the majority of people who hadn’t voted yet, Booker led 52 percent to 35 percent. Read more about the poll’s methodology here.

The poll didn’t mention Hoffman, Burke or Fernandez, who complained about a lack of attention being given to third-party and independent candidates leading up to the election.

New Jersey voters can learn more about each candidate via the following links:

• Cory Booker
• Rik Mehta
• Madelyn Hoffman
• Daniel Burke
• Veronica Fernandez

THE INCUMBENT

Booker, the former mayor of Newark, still lives in the city's central ward, a fact he played up during his bid for president. His run ended in January, when the senator announced there was no longer a path to victory.

• See related article: Cory Booker Drops Out Of 2020 Presidential Race

The senator said he plans to continue fighting for the ideas he put forth in his presidential platform, which included a sweeping plan to tackle gun violence, progressive reform of the criminal justice system, creating "baby bonds" to help combat wealth inequality, and strengthening reproductive rights and access to abortion.

Recent issues and causes that Booker has supported include the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare"), recreational marijuana legalization, investment in water and public infrastructure, and simplifying student financial aid.

THE CHALLENGERS

Rik Mehta, an attorney and former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official, outlasted several other Republican candidates who either dropped out of the race or were defeated in the primary election.

Mehta, who lives in Chester Township and attended Rutgers University, described himself as a small business owner and a first-generation American. Mehta also said he's proud of making history as “the first American of Indian origin to win the nomination in a statewide race.”

His platform included “defending Constitutional rights,” creating an “affordable, accessible putting healthcare system” and “building New Jersey’s economy for the future.” Mehta also said he will advocate to “bring jobs back from China.”

Madelyn Hoffman, the Green Party nominee, previously ran for U.S. Senate in New Jersey in 2018 against Sen. Robert Menendez, garnering more than 25,000 votes.

After Booker announced the end of his presidential campaign, Hoffman said she understands the reason behind his choice. "If anyone knows about the difficulties of competing on a level playing field in the U.S. electoral system, it's the Green Party," she asserted.

• See related article: NJ Green Party Candidate To Sen. Booker: Now You Know How We Feel

Hoffman, a staunch environmentalist and Green New Deal advocate, has been a consistent voice for peace efforts, cutting the military budget to reinvest in social services and Medicare For All over the past years. Her campaign took no PAC contributions from corporations, she said.

Daniel Burke, a self-described LaRouche independent candidate, ran on a platform that included “ending public bailouts of Wall Street gambling debts,” creating a new national bank, developing fusion power and exploring/colonizing space.

Veronica Fernandez, who ran as an independent, is a New Jersey native who said she's not a "typical candidate."

"I am not wealthy or well connected," Fernandez wrote on her campaign website. "I don’t even have a college degree. What I am is a wife, mother, self employed, proud, blue-collar business owner who every day tries to figure it out and it just keeps getting harder."

She ran on a platform that included campaign finance reform, lowering property taxes, supporting Medicare For All and creating a public bank in New Jersey.

For full coverage of the election in New Jersey, go here: New Jersey Elections 2020

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