Cory Booker: I'll Bring Bipartisan Spirit To Washington
NEWARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- When a reporter referred to him as "senator-elect" Thursday, Cory Booker, liking the sound of his new title, asked, "Can you say that again?"
A day after winning New Jersey's vacant U.S. Senate seat, Booker said he's talking to officials in Washington about when he might be sworn in. He added, however, that he's not quite done serving as Newark's mayor, CBS 880's Levon Putney reported.
"I want you to know this: As long as I have this title as mayor, I'm going to use every hour, every minute, every second to continue to deliver for the city," Booker said.
Cory Booker: I'll Bring Bipartisan Spirit To Washington
On Booker's plate in his remaining days, he said, is announcing more redevelopment projects.
The Democrat received many congratulatory phone calls Thursday, including one from President Barack Obama.
"I feel very blessed," Booker said. "The president was my friend before he was my president, and I look forward to parterning with him and others on both sides of the aisle. Even I heard from Republican legislators in Washington today."
Booker said he's built a career on being bipartisan and hopes he can do his part to prevent any future government shutdowns.
"All over New Jersey, all over American, (the shutdown) hurt," he said. "It hurt our economy. It hurt our stock market. There's no place that this didn't hurt everybody. There's no winners in this. It hurt everyone. So I'm going down there now to try to bring the spirit of bipartisanship."
On Wednesday, Booker defeated Republican Steve Lonegan 55 percent to 44 percent in the special election to replace Sen. Frank Lautenberg, who died in June.
City Council President Luis Quintana will become Newark's interim mayor. The council must decide whether to hold a special election or to allow Quintana to serve until Booker's term ends next year.
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