Sen. Cory Booker, who announced his presidential candidacy early Friday through social media, outlined his decision in an interview with "The View, " saying he chose to seek higher office because he believes Americans are "losing faith" in the country's ability to work for them.
"I think a lot of folks are beginning to feel that the forces that are tearing us apart in this country are stronger than the forces that tie us together. I don't believe that," Booker said. "So, I'm running to restore our sense of common purpose, to focus on the common pain that we have all over this country."
Booker said he remains optimistic, despite the divisions following President Donald Trump's election.
The New Jersey Democrat is facing an array of competitors for his party's nomination. Sens. Kamala Harris, D-Calif, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, are a few on the list of Democrats who have either announced candidacies or who are expected to enter the race.
Booker also answered the controversy over his self-declared "Spartacus moment" that took place during Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearings.
"That's the problem with our culture," he said. "We have people getting more and more ratings by tearing down other people. That's now how I'm going to run this campaign… I'm in this race to try to build our nation up."
He has campaign stops planned in Iowa on Feb. 8-9, followed by a trip to South Carolina on Feb. 10-11 and to New Hampshire later in the month.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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