On Monday, Cory Booker suspended his campaign for the presidency. The senator from New Jersey made the announcement to his followers on Monday via Twitter.
“It’s with a full heart that I share this news—I’m suspending my campaign for president,” the former mayor of Newark tweeted. “To my team, supporters, and everyone who gave me a shot—thank you. I am so proud of what we built, and I feel nothing but faith in what we can accomplish together.”
Since announcing his candidacy, Booker has failed to gain momentum among interested voters. In December he was missing from a Los Angeles debate stage and did not meet the requirements to attend January’s debate.
“Nearly one year ago, I got in the race for president because I believed to my core that the answer to the common pain Americans are feeling right now, the answer to Donald Trump’s hatred and division, is to reignite our spirit of common purpose to take on our biggest challenges and build a more just and fair country for everyone,” Booker said in an email to supporters. “I’ve always believed that. I still believe that. I’m proud I never compromised my faith in these principles during this campaign to score political points or tear down others.”
Booker says that the decision was hard to make but acknowledged that he did not see a path to victory. This comes on the heels of a Washington Post-Ipsos poll that put Booker behind Biden, Sanders, and Warren among Black voters.
In April, ESSENCE cameras followed the 50-year-old former hopeful in South Carolina. At the time he shared his optimism for the future of this country. When we caught up with him at the Essence Festival, he honed in on his dedication to bringing forth the issues of Black women.
“If Black women are going to be the highest voters in this country, then the agenda of African American women have to be at the center of the Democratic Party’s agenda, Booker said.”Because right now the reality is unacceptable.”