Don’t Call Him Senator Yet: Cory Booker Could Face Primary Struggle
BENJY SARLIN FEBRUARY 15, 2013, 2:00 PM
Sen. Frank Lautenberg’s formal announcement Friday that he won’t run for another term at age 90 heads off what was looking like a very bitter primary fight with Cory Booker, who has already announced he is exploring a run. But just because Lautenberg’s out of the way, doesn’t mean Booker’s path to the Senate is assured.
Booker starts off as a clear frontrunner in the polls. A survey from Monmouth University this week put him at 40 percent to Lautenberg’s 25 percent, with no one else cracking double digits. But he’s also the only major candidate to (more or less) declare their candidacy so far. New Jersey is a deep blue state and has an equally deep bench of Democratic politicians, many of whom have been waiting years for a rare open Senate seat to finally pop up.
Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), a longtime fixture in Congress who turned down an appointment to the Senate seat held by Lautenberg in 2002, is considered Booker’s toughest opponent. “I’ve always been interested in the Senate and it’s something I’m going to continue to explore,” Pallone told ABC News radio on Friday.
He’s not the only Congressman who has floated their name since Lauteneberg’s retirement announcement. “There’s no point in being coy,” Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ) told PolitickerNJ on Thursday. “I’ve made no secret in previous years that I would consider the Senate at the right time.”
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Wish I could have attended. Love Lautenberg and I think it's been a positive thing to have a business titan (Non New Jerseyans might not be aware that he is the founder of ADP) who has championed the people and progressive causes over the years. I can't think of a recent vote he's had to take where he didn't do what I wanted him to do.
I'm wondering - any chatter of Wisniewski? Where I live in Central NJ we have a high density of minorities/multi ethnic people - Somerset county.
Did Chivukula beat Lance? Nope. But he might be an interesting primary candidate as well.
If had to choose between Chivukula or Booker - I would vote Upendra. Regardless though - I'd love to see a really diverse race. Because that is what the Democratic Party is. And I don't believe there is a single Republican that could beat either one of these guys.
Me - I just want to be the Mayor of Somerville someday! 
