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| Cory Booker Endorses Joe Biden as Candidates Race Toward More Primaries | Cory Booker Endorses Joe Biden as Candidates Race Toward More Primaries |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey endorsed former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for president on Monday, adding to what has become a nearly complete consolidation of support from Mr. Biden’s former top rivals to push him to the Democratic nomination. | Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey endorsed former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for president on Monday, adding to what has become a nearly complete consolidation of support from Mr. Biden’s former top rivals to push him to the Democratic nomination. |
| Mr. Booker’s endorsement came one day after Senator Kamala Harris of California endorsed Mr. Biden, and the two senators appeared with him at a rally in Detroit on Monday night. Mr. Booker also campaigned alongside Mr. Biden in Flint, Mich., earlier in the day and attended a fund-raiser with him. | Mr. Booker’s endorsement came one day after Senator Kamala Harris of California endorsed Mr. Biden, and the two senators appeared with him at a rally in Detroit on Monday night. Mr. Booker also campaigned alongside Mr. Biden in Flint, Mich., earlier in the day and attended a fund-raiser with him. |
| “It a time for us to beat Donald Trump and it became very clear to me that Joe Biden is the right person to do that,” Mr. Booker said in an interview on “CBS This Morning,” after announcing his endorsement in a tweet. | “It a time for us to beat Donald Trump and it became very clear to me that Joe Biden is the right person to do that,” Mr. Booker said in an interview on “CBS This Morning,” after announcing his endorsement in a tweet. |
| The event in Michigan, which holds its delegate-heavy primary on Tuesday, was yet another public show of moderate Democratic support for the former vice president on the eve of a major vote in the presidential race. | |
| It recalled last Monday night, when Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., and former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas all spoke out for Mr. Biden on the eve of Super Tuesday. | It recalled last Monday night, when Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., and former Representative Beto O’Rourke of Texas all spoke out for Mr. Biden on the eve of Super Tuesday. |
| Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris were two of the most prominent black candidates to run for president, and their endorsements came as Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont scrambles to make up ground among black voters in Michigan, where they make up a sizable part of the electorate. | Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris were two of the most prominent black candidates to run for president, and their endorsements came as Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont scrambles to make up ground among black voters in Michigan, where they make up a sizable part of the electorate. |
| At Mr. Biden’s rally on Monday night, held at a high school in Detroit, attendees were given hand sanitizer as they entered, a reflection of growing worries about the coronavirus. | At Mr. Biden’s rally on Monday night, held at a high school in Detroit, attendees were given hand sanitizer as they entered, a reflection of growing worries about the coronavirus. |
| The former vice president was joined by Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris as well as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, who endorsed Mr. Biden last week and was named a national co-chair of his campaign. | The former vice president was joined by Mr. Booker and Ms. Harris as well as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, who endorsed Mr. Biden last week and was named a national co-chair of his campaign. |
| “I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else,” Mr. Biden told the crowd. “There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.” | “I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else,” Mr. Biden told the crowd. “There’s an entire generation of leaders you saw stand behind me. They are the future of this country.” |
| Ms. Harris said, “I believe Joe is right when he says that this election is a fight for the soul of America.” | Ms. Harris said, “I believe Joe is right when he says that this election is a fight for the soul of America.” |
| Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden and Ms. Whitmer visited a community health center in Grand Rapids. | Earlier in the day, Mr. Biden and Ms. Whitmer visited a community health center in Grand Rapids. |
| At the health center, Mr. Biden criticized Mr. Sanders over “Medicare for all,” saying that his rival’s pursuit of a single-payer health care system would be a “long and expensive slog, if it can get done at all.” | At the health center, Mr. Biden criticized Mr. Sanders over “Medicare for all,” saying that his rival’s pursuit of a single-payer health care system would be a “long and expensive slog, if it can get done at all.” |
| “They can’t afford to wait for a revolution,” Mr. Biden said of patients at the health center. “They’re looking for results.” | “They can’t afford to wait for a revolution,” Mr. Biden said of patients at the health center. “They’re looking for results.” |
| Mr. Sanders made his pitch to voters Monday night during a town hall event televised on Fox News. | Mr. Sanders made his pitch to voters Monday night during a town hall event televised on Fox News. |
| In addition to a discussion of policy, he was asked about divisions within the Democratic Party, including criticism from his 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton. | In addition to a discussion of policy, he was asked about divisions within the Democratic Party, including criticism from his 2016 rival, Hillary Clinton. |
| Shown footage of Mrs. Clinton’s new Hulu series in which she declared that “nobody likes” Mr. Sanders, he did not return fire but cast her as a creature of the past. | Shown footage of Mrs. Clinton’s new Hulu series in which she declared that “nobody likes” Mr. Sanders, he did not return fire but cast her as a creature of the past. |
| “Unlike Secretary Clinton, I don’t want to relive 2016,” Mr. Sanders said. “We’re in 2020 now. But what I would say, on a good day my wife likes me.” | |
| “If you guys look at some of the polling that they do for United States senators,” he went on. “In most cases I turn out to be the most popular United States senator in the whole country.” | “If you guys look at some of the polling that they do for United States senators,” he went on. “In most cases I turn out to be the most popular United States senator in the whole country.” |
| Later in the town hall, Mr. Sanders was asked if he had any doubts about Mr. Biden’s “mental acuity.” Mr. Sanders did not address the question directly but questioned the length of Mr. Biden’s recent stump speeches. | Later in the town hall, Mr. Sanders was asked if he had any doubts about Mr. Biden’s “mental acuity.” Mr. Sanders did not address the question directly but questioned the length of Mr. Biden’s recent stump speeches. |
| “Joe was somewhere, where was he, Michigan or somewhere the other day, and he spoke for seven minutes,” said Mr. Sanders, whose events often run an hour or longer. “I don’t know how you say anything other than, you know, minimal discussion for seven minutes.” | “Joe was somewhere, where was he, Michigan or somewhere the other day, and he spoke for seven minutes,” said Mr. Sanders, whose events often run an hour or longer. “I don’t know how you say anything other than, you know, minimal discussion for seven minutes.” |
| Though six states vote on Tuesday, Michigan, where Mr. Sanders’s surprise victory in 2016 signaled the strength of his insurgent presidential campaign, has become a critical battleground for Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden to show both their ability to turn out key blocs of support and to expand the electorate in a state that will undoubtedly be a major target for President Trump in the general election. | Though six states vote on Tuesday, Michigan, where Mr. Sanders’s surprise victory in 2016 signaled the strength of his insurgent presidential campaign, has become a critical battleground for Mr. Sanders and Mr. Biden to show both their ability to turn out key blocs of support and to expand the electorate in a state that will undoubtedly be a major target for President Trump in the general election. |
| Mr. Sanders canceled events this weekend in Mississippi to focus his efforts on Michigan, effectively ceding another state in the South to Mr. Biden while redoubling his effort in Michigan. | Mr. Sanders canceled events this weekend in Mississippi to focus his efforts on Michigan, effectively ceding another state in the South to Mr. Biden while redoubling his effort in Michigan. |
| Mr. Biden also picked up two major endorsements from national gun control advocacy groups, Everytown for Gun Safety and the Brady Campaign, evidence that Mr. Sanders’s past positions on gun control could undermine his support on an issue popular with many Democratic voters. | |
| Mr. Booker, despite dropping out of the presidential race before the nation’s first primary contest, had campaigned in Detroit this cycle in an effort to pitch himself as the best candidate to re-energize the fractured Obama coalition and excite black voters in swing states that Hillary Clinton lost in 2016. | Mr. Booker, despite dropping out of the presidential race before the nation’s first primary contest, had campaigned in Detroit this cycle in an effort to pitch himself as the best candidate to re-energize the fractured Obama coalition and excite black voters in swing states that Hillary Clinton lost in 2016. |
| Though Mr. Biden has indicated that he would most likely select a woman as his running mate, Mr. Booker’s support for Mr. Biden will inevitably draw some speculation as to the New Jersey senator’s future. | Though Mr. Biden has indicated that he would most likely select a woman as his running mate, Mr. Booker’s support for Mr. Biden will inevitably draw some speculation as to the New Jersey senator’s future. |
| Elected to the Senate in 2013, Mr. Booker, the telegenic former mayor of Newark, was long seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, destined for an eventual national campaign. But he struggled to break through in the crowded 2020 field and ended his campaign early, dropping out of the presidential race three weeks before the Iowa caucuses. | Elected to the Senate in 2013, Mr. Booker, the telegenic former mayor of Newark, was long seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, destined for an eventual national campaign. But he struggled to break through in the crowded 2020 field and ended his campaign early, dropping out of the presidential race three weeks before the Iowa caucuses. |
| Mr. Biden, who achieved sweeping victories in both the South Carolina primary and in the Super Tuesday contests on the strength of black voters across the country, now counts the backing of all the major former black candidates for president, having earned the endorsements of Ms. Harris and former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts in recent days. | Mr. Biden, who achieved sweeping victories in both the South Carolina primary and in the Super Tuesday contests on the strength of black voters across the country, now counts the backing of all the major former black candidates for president, having earned the endorsements of Ms. Harris and former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts in recent days. |
| Mr. Booker is up for re-election in New Jersey this year, and when he dropped out of the presidential race he immediately moved some of his campaign apparatus over to his Senate re-election bid. | Mr. Booker is up for re-election in New Jersey this year, and when he dropped out of the presidential race he immediately moved some of his campaign apparatus over to his Senate re-election bid. |
| Though his favorability rating in the state took a small dip as he campaigned across the country for president, Mr. Booker is still immensely popular at home at a time when New Jersey is shifting ever bluer, becoming one of the most Democratic states in the country. Of the 12 members of the state’s Congressional delegation, only two are Republican. | Though his favorability rating in the state took a small dip as he campaigned across the country for president, Mr. Booker is still immensely popular at home at a time when New Jersey is shifting ever bluer, becoming one of the most Democratic states in the country. Of the 12 members of the state’s Congressional delegation, only two are Republican. |
| New Jersey is one of the last states to vote in the Democratic primary, and the 126 pledged delegates up for grabs there in June were seen as a possible final stand for whoever was left fighting for the Democratic nomination. But with the field essentially winnowed to a two-person race, it’s unlikely that the state will play a major role in helping to decide the nominee. | New Jersey is one of the last states to vote in the Democratic primary, and the 126 pledged delegates up for grabs there in June were seen as a possible final stand for whoever was left fighting for the Democratic nomination. But with the field essentially winnowed to a two-person race, it’s unlikely that the state will play a major role in helping to decide the nominee. |
| Though Mr. Booker is in the middle of his own campaign, he temporarily turned over his fund-raising list and apparatus to the Biden effort early Monday, sending an email that directed people to the Booker for Senate page with a disclosure: “100% of your contribution will go to the Biden for President campaign.” | Though Mr. Booker is in the middle of his own campaign, he temporarily turned over his fund-raising list and apparatus to the Biden effort early Monday, sending an email that directed people to the Booker for Senate page with a disclosure: “100% of your contribution will go to the Biden for President campaign.” |
| The email contained a slightly retooled applause line from Mr. Booker’s own stump speech. | The email contained a slightly retooled applause line from Mr. Booker’s own stump speech. |
| “Because Joe Biden understands that beating Donald Trump is the floor,” Mr. Booker wrote. “It is not the ceiling.” | “Because Joe Biden understands that beating Donald Trump is the floor,” Mr. Booker wrote. “It is not the ceiling.” |
| Thomas Kaplan contributed reporting from Detroit, and Reid J. Epstein from Romulus, Mich. | Thomas Kaplan contributed reporting from Detroit, and Reid J. Epstein from Romulus, Mich. |