New Jersey Senate Democratic Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg has expressed her displeasure with Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s machinations to run for Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s seat next year.
Booker has filed papers to run before the 88-year-old Lautenberg has even decided whether he wants to seek re-election. Weinberg is disappointed that Booker won’t be contesting Republican Gov. Chris Christie this year, she wrote in a “personal note” to Booker on
bluejersey.com.
“But when you decided against that move, you agreed you would be working hard to elect whoever that person will be, and to help us put a Democrat back as Governor,” Weinberg said.
“So stop the U.S. Senate distraction. Give Senator Lautenberg the time to concentrate on getting us federal Sandy help and the respect of making a decision about his re-election in his own time.”
Weinberg lauds Booker for his talents. “But New Jersey and our residents are really bigger than whatever your future is to be,” she wrote. “So join the fray and tell those folks who watch those national shows what really needs to be addressed in our great state. We need your voice for economic justice, for civil rights and marriage equality, for jobs and gun safety, for women's health, and for the economic realities in our state under this governor.”
Booker followed Weinberg’s advice in an interview he taped with MSNBC Monday. He declined to address the Senate race and offered compliments about Lautenberg.
Booker leads Lautenberg 42 to 20 percent among Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters in New Jersey, according to a Fairleigh Dickinson University poll released last week.
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