The Democratic New Jersey senator is in the granite state, pressing flesh and preaching love in divided political times

On a frigid Saturday morning a full 14 months before the New Hampshire primary, Democrats warmed themselves with coffee as they waited for Cory Booker. The New Jersey senator, a potential candidate for president in 2020, was to appear in the suburban living room of a former state senator.

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When he arrived he took time to chat, snap selfies and record video shoutouts. When he finally spoke, he told those gathered of a “moral moment” requiring love, unity and strength. Rather than alienate supporters of Donald Trump, Booker told the crowd, why not invite them to dinner.



“Patriotism is love of country and you cannot love your country unless you love your fellow countrymen,” he said. “We need to get back to the understanding that you cannot lead the people if you do not love the people.”

Later, at a Democratic midterm victory celebration in Manchester, the state’s largest city, he said: “This is not a time to meet hate with hate. It is not a time to meet darkness with darkness. The call of our country has always been love.”

Booker has not committed to a run for the White House. But attorney Jim Demers, who co-chaired Barack Obama’s campaign in New Hampshire in 2008 and advised Hillary Clinton in 2016, is encouraging the former mayor of Newark. He helped arrange meetings this weekend. Appearances in living rooms and coffee shops – and onstage alongside the state’s top Democrats – signal a run is being considered.

It’s fairly wide open at this point and Booker is in fairly good position in that regard Dante Scala

“I think this weekend is going to be a really good experience for him, to get a taste of what campaigning in New Hampshire is really like,” Demers said.

Demers sees Booker as a viable candidate to win the White House. But he was more cautious about predicting victory in the New Hampshire primary, particularly if two other senators, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, also enter the race.

“I don’t want to underestimate the impact that neighbours of New Hampshire have in the New Hampshire primary,” he said. “Historically, if there’s a neighbour running, they win. But I think [Booker] can be extremely competitive and I think he can certainly be in the top tier.”

Defeat in New Hampshire can be weathered: Clinton lost to Sanders in 2016 but secured the nomination. In 2008, Obama lost the primary to Clinton. In an August poll of state Democrats by the University of New Hampshire, Sanders was the top choice of 30%, former vice-president Joe Biden had 19% and Warren had 17%. Booker was the top choice of just 6%.

This early, though, primary watchers say the contest remains in play.

“I think it’s fairly wide open at this point and Booker is in fairly good position in that regard,” said Dante Scala, a professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire. “I think he does enjoy name recognition: it’s not up there with Sanders, Biden and Warren, but it stands pretty favourably to the rest of the field.”

Christopher Galdieri, associate professor of political science at Saint Anselm College, said he didn’t “know that [Booker] necessarily needs to win in New Hampshire so much as run well. If he does well enough in Iowa and he does well enough in New Hampshire … I think he’s someone who could potentially be a viable nominee.”

‘He’s a real unifier’

Sanders, Biden and Warren have not so obviously laid the groundwork in the granite state. But Booker is not alone. Hawaii congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was in the state last week and in an October visit, the Colorado governor, John Hickenlooper, said he was running – then quickly backtracked. The New Hampshire Young Democrats have invited Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke and other candidates to visit. O’Rourke has not yet responded to the overture.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Booker speaks. Photograph: Cheryl Senter/AP

Other potential candidates will soon begin operations in early voting states – and even announce their candidacies. This week, the Associated Press reported that the Democratic party is considering holding a first debate in May, three months earlier than the first debate in the 2016 election cycle.

Booker’s message of love and unity – and his professed refusal to hate Trump – may win voters over. Or maybe they will prefer a candidate who wants to go blow-for-blow with the president. Demers thinks the senator’s approach is one of his best attributes.

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“When you listen to him speak you realise that he’s not always bashing the other side like some politicians do,” Demers said. “He’s a real unifier and I do believe that more than anything in this country, people want to see Washington function.”

Like other prominent Democrats and potential candidates, Booker has faced attacks from the president. Speaking to the New York Post last month, Trump claimed without evidence that Booker did not live in Newark while he was mayor and repeated his charge that Booker “ran Newark into the ground”. Such attacks will only increase if Booker does decide to run.

Lucas Meyer, president of the New Hampshire Young Democrats, said for any potential candidate, doing well in New Hampshire – usually a stepping stone to the Oval Office – will likely come down to their pitch.

“The beautiful thing about the New Hampshire primary and why I think it’s valuable to the country, is you’re going to have to meet people on the street, look them in the eye and convince them,” Meyer said.

“It doesn’t matter about TV ads, it doesn’t matter that you have the most money. It matters that when you look into a voter’s eyes, they believe what you’re pushing.”