New Jersey Senator Cory Booker seeks third full term against Republican Justin Murphy
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The gist
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is heavily favored over Republican Justin Murphy, having out-raised him $35 million to $75,000.
The result could shape whether Booker, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, runs for the White House.
Background
Cory Booker is a Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey, in the Senate since October 2013 and a former mayor of Newark. He first ran for president in 2019 and dropped out of the Democratic primary the following January after low polling and a lack of funds, and has since positioned himself as an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, including a record-setting 25-hour Senate floor speech in March 2025. New Jersey hasn't elected a Republican to the Senate since 1972, and Booker won his 2014 and 2020 races by double-digit margins. His current race is drawing attention less for its outcome than for what he does afterward.
How it unfolded
- Mar 9, 2026Booker, described as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate, told NBC News he would introduce a tax bill to significantly expand the standard deduction, effectively making $75,000 in income tax-free, while saying his focus was on re-election.
- Sep 4, 2026Booker headlined Democratic fundraisers in Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah, with tickets ranging from $100 to $5,000 per event.
- Oct 27, 2026NJ.com reported Booker was heavily favored to win a third full term over Republican Justin Murphy, having out-raised him $35 million to $75,000.
- Oct 28, 2026On CNN, Booker was asked about Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed's support among Black voters and did not directly address El-Sayed; anchor Boris Sanchez said he wasn't hearing a ringing endorsement.
- Oct 28, 2026Hundreds of Indian Americans rallied for Booker at Royal Albert's Palace in Fords, N.J., where he praised Indian American elected leaders and referenced his meeting with Indian Ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra.
- Oct 30, 2026Booker visited Concord, N.H., to rally Democrats for gubernatorial nominee Cinde Warmington, saying "This is not a normal election. It's not left or right. It's really right or wrong."
- Nov 2, 2026New Jersey voters were set to choose between Booker and Murphy in Tuesday's Senate election; Murphy urged voters to send a Republican to the Senate for the first time since 1972.
- Nov 3, 2026Booker sought his third full term, facing Murphy and third-party candidates Veronica Fernandez (End the Corruption! Party) and Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party).
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- Benjamin Dworkin of the Rowan Institute for Public Policy and Citizenship said it is a widely held assumption that Booker is looking very seriously at another presidential run.
- Analysts
- Ashley Koning of the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers called the race "pretty much in the bag" for Booker and said a double-digit margin would favor a presidential run.
- Party
- Booker spokesperson David Bergstein said the Nov. 3 race is the "only election Cory is thinking about right now" and that Booker is working to help Democrats up and down the ballot.
- Support
- New Hampshire Democratic gubernatorial nominee Cinde Warmington said that when Booker comes, people come out to see him and get excited.
- Caution
- John Corbett, spokesman for New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte's campaign, said Warmington is "the candidate of higher taxes and higher costs" and that campaigning with New Jersey politicians proves it.
Still unverified
Political observers and insiders speculate that Booker is looking seriously at a second presidential run in 2028, which his campaign denies, saying the Nov. 3 race is the only election he is thinking about. Analyst Benjamin Dworkin said it would be "stunning" if the race became a single-digit contest and asked whether there is "any below-the-surface discontent with Cory Booker," adding: "We haven't seen it in polling, but you never know."