Could Cory Booker be Hillary Clinton’s pick for Vice President?
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker has been a rising political star in the Democratic party. Lately, his rise seems directly aimed for the White House.
When asked about whether he was being vetted as Hillary Clinton’s vice presidential candidate on CNN’s State of the Union, Senator Booker dodged the question: “You should talk to the Hillary Clinton campaign.”
–Cory Booker sworn in as newest US Senator
“I’m just referring questions about the vice presidency to the woman who is going to have to make this decision,” Sen. Booker told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
“That is not a no, sir. That is not a no.”
“That is exactly what it is,” Sen. Booker responded. “It’s telling you if you have a question like that, please direct it to the Clinton campaign.”
This comes just weeks after Sen. Booker went on record saying that the Clinton campaign was not vetting him to be a candidate for vice president.
Booker is an appealing VP pick for many reasons, including his progressive record and strong rapport with the African-American community.
–Cory Booker goes to Washington a celebrity and senator
But in the event that Sen. Booker is selected, it leaves a vacant seat in the Senate and gives Republican Governor Chris Christie the power to pick a replacement.
This would give the Republican Party a greater edge in the 100 seat Senate to keep the majority.
Other Democrats rumored to be in the mix for Vice President include Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts.
Sen. Booker graduated from Stanford University, where he was a football star, Oxford University and Yale Law School. He served as Mayor of Newark from 2006-2013 and became the first black U.S. Senator from New Jersey in 2013.
–Cory Booker: Senate victory ‘shows how far we’ve come’