Politics & Government

Cory Booker Campaigns on Asbury Park Boardwalk

The Newark mayor and U.S. Senate hopeful started Labor Day weekend with a trip to the Jersey Shore.

Article by Anthony Duignan-Cabrera, adc@patch.com

Newark Mayor Cory Booker spent the Labor Day Friday evening meeting folks on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

Booker and his team were meeting and greeting folks in front of Eddie Confetti's ice cream booth on the boardwalk around 8:30 Friday evening, drawing a large group of gawkers and supporters surprised to see the Senate candidate.

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"He wants votes, so it makes sense to be here," said Cyndy Conchar, a Middletown resident. "But this is (Congressman Frank) Pallone territory."

Pallone lost the Democratic primary for the New Jersey Senate seat to Booker on August 13. 

Find out what's happening in Manasquan-Belmarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Booker is running against Republican hopeful Steve Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, NJ, to complete the remaining 15 months of the term of longtime Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg who died in June.

It was Booker's third stop along the Jersey Shore Friday. Earlier he stopped in Red Bank and walked along the boardwalk in Belmar. He is scheduled to appear with U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, an opponent in the U.S. Senate primary race, on Saturday in Long Branch.

In Belmar, Booker stopped along several oceanfront businesses that were heavily damaged by Hurricane Sandy, including a stop at 3 Brothers Pizzaria, where the two-term Newark Mayor had a vegetarian slice. 

“Should I have the privilege of representing the whole state as a United States Senator, I’m going to be in the fields, in the trenches, working with families to see whatever I can do to help support them as they continue to try to recover,''  Booker said. "That is, honestly, what we want from government, for the leaders that we elected to be there for us when we need them.”

Booker was escorted by Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, a fellow Democrat who supported Pallone in the U.S. Senate primary election. 

 “I think we get a tremendous amount by having him come and see first hand, and meet with residents, and hear about their experiences — dealing with insurance companies, dealing with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)," Doherty said.

Patch Local Editor Keith Brown contributed to this report.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here