Cory Booker joins historically diverse field of candidates in 2020 race
Washington — New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker announced Friday he's running for president, making him the fifth Democrat to officially join the 2020 race. Three others have launched exploratory committees.
"I'm going to run a race about not who I'm against or what I'm against, but who I'm for and what I'm for," Booker said.
He said he was running for president to restore civic grace in America. The 49-year-old Rhodes Scholar and former mayor of Newark chose the first day of Black History Month to jump into the race.
His first moves, including interviews targeting Latinos and African Americans, are designed to win over those most loyal Democrats. For example, last year, 90 percent of black voters backed Democratic candidates for Congress. In 2016, they were a quarter of Democratic primary voters nationwide and more than six in 10 in the early primary state of South Carolina.
Booker joins a historically diverse field that is speaking far more openly about race.
In an interview with "Face the Nation" moderator Margaret Brennan airing on Sunday, President Trump said he's unimpressed with Booker.
"He's got no chance," he said.
On Friday, a notable apology came from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who is set to formally announce her candidacy next week. She reached out to leaders of the Cherokee Nation to apologize for taking and releasing a DNA test last fall showing she had a trace of Native American ancestry, something Mr. Trump has repeatedly mocked.
The tribe said they "are encouraged by this dialogue" and "hope that the slurs and mockery of tribal citizens and Indian history and heritage will now come to an end."