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Booker Backlash: Should Celebrity Mean An Easy Senate Seat?
By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 21, 2013
Modified Jan 21, 2013
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Jan 21, 2013
Modified Jan 21, 2013
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Newark mayor (and budding jewelry salesman) Cory Booker's road to D.C. may be a bit bumpier than expected, at least if Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver has anything to do with it.
At the New Jersey State Society's inaugural ball over this weekend Democratic Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver told PolitickerNJ that she is, "very concerned about the lack of women in our congressional delegation. And I don’t feel that an assumption should be made that because Cory has national celebrity that national celebrity translates into who should be our next U.S. Senator."
The oft-tweeting Booker recently filed with the Federal Election Commission to form a campaign committee and is looking to replace long time senator Frank Lautenberg in 2014. And boy does this leave Oliver unimpressed:
“I want to know what his platform is,” she said. “What is your position on gun control, what is your position on public education? I don’t care that you’re in Vogue magazine or Esquire. That’s not important to me as a citizen of this state. What’s important to me is what will your positions be on Capitol Hill?”
And while Oliver has a point, she isn't quite being fair, since Booker actually seems to be quite eager to talk policy. Oh, and in case you were wondering? Yes, Oliver might be running for Senate herself.
This is the second bit of Booker-bashing in recent weeks. Last week a Lautenberg aide accused the popular-mayor of stealing the senator's ideas "and marketing them as his own." Guess the Booker backlash has begun!
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Garth Johnston
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