Cory Booker has set up a campaign office at 15 Godwin Avenue in Ridgewood
Cory Booker chooses fundraiser with Oprah over forum with his Senate race rivals
Thursday August 1, 2013, 9:06 PM
BY MICHAEL LINHORST AND MELISSA HAYES
STATE HO– USE BUREAU
The Record
Three of the Democrats running for U.S. Senate were in Newark on Thursday for a forum to answer voters’ questions. The city’s mayor – Cory Booker – wasn’t.
Instead, Booker, now the front-runner in that Senate primary race, spent the evening in Jersey City at a $1,000-per-person fundraiser featuring Oprah Winfrey. “VIP” tickets, which included a photo with the mayor, cost $2,600 – the maximum campaign donation allowed under state law.
Donors could also meet the actor Denzel Washington, who was believed to be in attendance.
The fundraiser was expected to bring in about $250,000, according to Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop.
At the same time as the fundraiser, the three other Democrats running in the Aug. 13 primary were in a community center about seven blocks from Newark’s City Hall. Faded and peeling murals looked down on the candidates: Monmouth County Rep. Frank Pallone, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Mercer County Rep. Rush Holt.
Not for nothing Cory, but unless you intend to refuse to debate your Republican opponent in September or early October, you should really get some practice in with your Democrat opponents. I don’t know how tough Dr. Eck would be, but a one-on-one debate with Steve Lonegan will certainly be a trying affair for you.
Booker’s no dope….he has this thing wrapped up and he obviously was courting a potentially big donor. If Lonegan is the Row B candidate this will be a landslide for Booker of epic proportions.