At 70, Republican Jeff Bell is looking to knock off freshman Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker — and he's feeling pretty feisty. Bell looks at the slowly shrinking polling numbers favoring the incumbent and former ex-mayor of Newark and sees someone who is vulnerable.

The GOP candidate is a likable sort, quick with a laugh, but strident about his views. You can add optimism to Bell's qualities because everyone who writes or talks politics say Booker is the prohibitive favorite in this contest.

The senator had millions upon millions in donations, and Bell meanwhile struggled to get more than $300,000 and has been invisible to the Republican National Committee and every other organization. Booker had about $16 million-plus but spent most of it defeating Republican Steve Lonegan in last October’s special election. As last reported, the senator has on hand over $3 million for this race, an obvious sign that he doesn’t expect much competition.

Booker’s polling margin over Bell is in the low double-figures. It's considered disappointing because he’s facing someone who was only easily recognized in the 1970s and early 1980s. Bell is virtually a stranger to voters in the 21st century. With little cash, Bell plans to use the old Christine Whitman tactic of spending those funds on less expensive radio ads. After all, Whitman put a scare into Bill Bradley in the 1990 U.S. Senate race. “And perhaps a TV ad near the end,” Bell said.

What helps Bell is that this mid-term election looks like one of those years when citizens are mad at everyone; and such are the circumstances when all incumbents will suffer, Democrats and Republicans. Bell also believes Booker’s negative numbers are mirroring President Obama’s and, although not all the numbers are bad for the incumbent, undecided voters are growing — a sure sign that there is unrest.

Perhaps not to tempt fate, Booker has been running this campaign as if he were whistling past the cemetery. He has agreed to one debate on Oct. 25 in Trenton where the press is excluded. It will be recorded and broadcast — or cablecast — the following Sunday. It's a good thing, too, because Bell was starting to demand that Joe Biden and even Obama fillin for Booker. I know it was a stunt but kinda wish Joe had accepted for his always reliable fun factor.

Bell is thrilled that the Obama administration has opened the door for exploiting what he says is a weakness with its foreign policy. The president’s actions only reflect on Booker and other Democratic candidates. Bell says people in New Jersey tend to have a worldview of events and that they have become more sensitive to foreign policy because of their 9/11 experience.

“We need to take the Islamic State at their word,” Bell said. Calling himself “very militant,” he adds that there should be heavily strategic bombing because the present air campaign is doing little to cripple ISIL.

“We have to destroy them,” he said. “They are a lethal threat. And they tell us that with the beheadings.”

Booker has not been quoted much on foreign policy issues, Bell claims. He says the senator takes his point of view from Menendez. Yet, Bell recognizes the senior senator in New Jersey as a serious foreign policy person who doesn't trust Iran — and, surprisingly, is almost hawkish. He notes the difference between the senators: "Booker never deviates from Obama's opinions."

The Republican also scoffs at what he says is Booker’s message that he can work with the other side of the aisle by introducing “micro-bills” with Republicans Ted Cruz, Rand Paul and Marco Rubio. Bell said Booker’s ads are never specific about the proposed legislation, which he says lack substance, nor does Booker name the Republican co-sponsors because it would only upset his Democratic base. “Cruz and Paul do it probably to improve their (street) cred,” Bell said.

Bell has been hitting Hispanic churches, including a visit last week to a Cityline evangelical church in Jersey City where he said he was in favor of immigration reform.

"Republicans have made a horrible mistake in acting like they don't welcome immigrants," Bell told me. He said he is taking the position of his mentor, Ronald Reagan, in welcoming immigrants while calling for better visiting worker credentials and securing all borders.

He then quizzed: “Name me the Hispanic terrorist who has done damage to this country? I’ll wait for the long pause.”

Bell does have GOP credentials. He’s not timid about being pro-life and believes in the right of citizens to own guns.

He is somewhat stubborn at making reforming the nation’s monetary policy his main platform plank. He wants to return to the gold standard and favors a flat income tax rate for everyone.

Should the Don Quixote effort to unseat Booker go against him, the 70-year-old said he envisions himself staying politically active, perhaps being a part of other future campaigns. Then again, if there is a monumental upset, I suggest Bell writes a book on how to win a Senate seat with no money down.

EDITOR'S NOTE: U.S. Sen. Cory Booker was invited to meet with The Jersey Journal Editorial Board but his staff declined for him - because of "a busy work schedule." The offer is still open. Agustin C. Torres' column appears in The Jersey Journal every Saturday.