Sen. Cory Booker speaks during the first day of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. | AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite Amid disaster, Booker emerges as a national player

WASHINGTON — Few surrogates in Hillary Clinton's ill-fated campaign worked as hard or traveled as far as U.S. Sen. Cory Booker.

Boundless energy and unflagging enthusiasm have been Booker trademarks since his days as a member of the Newark City Council. His first foray into Newark politics was a long shot — an idealistic fight against a corrupt machine. He won that Council seat seemingly through sheer will power, knocking on almost every door in the city's Central Ward.


Eighteen years later, that same enthusiasm was brought to bear in the presidential election. Booker gave speeches in cities, suburbs and college campuses in North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Missouri and beyond.

It was all in vain. And it has taken a toll on Booker's usual optimism.

"It was painful," he said in an interview with POLITICO New Jersey. "I can't remember after an election feeling more disheartened and I'm talking about the elections that I've lost in my life."

But political observers see a silver lining for Booker: He has emerged as a de-facto party leader and one of the most prominent African-American elected leaders in the country.

"He is a popular senator here in the state. He's made friends in the Senate there. He's raised his profile," said Patrick Murray, head of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.

Despite his disappointment, Booker said he is willing to give President-elect Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt.

"I feel like I have no choice but to be hopeful and determined. My heart wants to give him space to prove that he will unite America," Booker said, but added, "I'm determined in the sense that I'm on guard after he said demeaning and degrading things about fellow Americans."

"We're definitely concerned about this country if this rhetoric turns into action," he said.

Murray said he's heard from Democrats who are wondering if the result might have been different if Booker had been Clinton's running mate.

African-American turnout was not what Clinton needed it to be. Millennial turnout also was lower than she needed. And Trump commanded a loyal following through his personal use of Twitter.

In all of those areas, Booker would have likely excelled as a vice-presidential candidate.

"I think it would have made the map look more like Obama's. I think it would have perhaps created a different narrative in the South," said Brigid Harrison, a political science professor at Montclair State University, who has closely followed Booker's career. "For young people in general I think that the two Baby Boomer candidates did nothing to attract the enthusiasm of young voters. I think Booker would have done that."

Booker didn't want to discuss what ifs and, in any case, he doesn't see himself necessarily as a black leader.

"As a guy who represents a very diverse state, I don't see myself [as] a leader for one people. I see myself as a leader for everyone ... omnivores, carnivores, pescavores, vegans and vegetarians," he said.

(Booker is a born-again vegan and it is one of his favorite topics.)

Goofy jokes aside, Booker said there is a bleak uncertainty looming over the Senate now, and he is suiting up for battle. Despite being an urban Democrat, Booker has hewed to the pragmatic center, whether as mayor of Newark or as a senator.

He was often an ally of Gov. Chris Christie in Newark. In Washington he has earned a decent reputation across the aisle, working on legislation with Senators Ted Cruz, Chuck Grassley and Jim Inhofe, to name a few Republicans.

As for a leadership role in the Senate, Booker's path will likely be through alliances and party posts. The Senate math in 2018 does not favor a Democratic takeover, despite the opposition party's traditional success in mid-term elections.

And Booker said he's not sure how Republicans are going to act in the new world of President Trump.

"I've always had President Obama setting the agenda," he said. "Will the Republicans really overreach in terms of trying to roll back many of the things that the majority of Americans want? I feel a responsibility to always find common ground, but I will stand my ground."

Booker's name will inevitably be mentioned among the contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

"Before Clinton's loss you looked at Booker as being too similar to President Obama to warrant serious consideration for the presidency," Harrison said. "Their narratives were too much alike."

In 2016, the fact that Booker was black, a junior senator, young, intellectual and a commanding speaker argued against a presidential campaign because of the similarities to Obama. After four years of Trump, those attributes may be sought after.

Booker didn't want to talk about that either.

"It's way too early to begin discussing 2020," he said. "There is serious, serious work to do. I'm focused on what I have to do when I get back to Washington next week."

