Senator Cory Booker kicked off Black History Month by announcing on Friday (Feb. 1) morning that he will be running for president in the 2020 election.
The former mayor of Newark made the announcement in the form of a video shared on his website, confirming he is embarking on a campaign to become the second black president in American history.
“The history of our nation is defined by collective action; by interwoven destinies of slaves and abolitionists; of those born here and those who chose America as home; of those who took up arms to defend our country, and those who linked arms to challenge and change it,” Booker says in the clip where he can be seen walking around Newark and interacting with others. “I’m Cory Booker and I’m running for president of the United States of America.”
Booker joins the pool of Democratic contenders that currently includes Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), as well as Former President Barack Obama Cabinet member Julián Castro and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii).
At 49 years old, Booker is the youngest among his colleagues, as well as is the only unmarried contender. He also notes in his announcement that he is “the only senator who goes home to a low-income, inner city community” in Newark, which he describes as “the first community that took a chance on me.”
Per his campaign announcement, he will not be accepting any campaign donations from corporate PACs and lobbyists.
Booker, who joined the Senate in 2013 as New Jersey’s first black senator, previously served as mayor of Newark from 2006 to 2013. His political stances include advocating for criminal justice reform, supporting DACA (and vocally opposing Trump-era policies pertaining to immigration), backing “Medicare For All,” banning assault weapons, requiring background checks for gun ownership and supporting a federal minimum wage of $15, to name a few.
Take a look at Cory Booker’s campaign announcement video below.