In Iowa debut, Booker tells Democrats to turn despair into action
DES MOINES, Iowa New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker urged Democrats disappointed by Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation to turn their despair into action as he made his national debut in Iowa as a Democratic presidential prospect.
Racing from Saturday afternoon's Senate confirmation vote in Washington, Booker breezed into the Iowa Democratic Party's top fall fundraiser to try to make a positive impression on roughly 1,000 party activists. He is visiting the early presidential testing ground this weekend as he weighs a campaign for the 2020 Democratic nomination.
"I see the pain and the hurt, but I want to remind everyone here in this room tonight, full of fellowship, this room full of faith, that this is a time in our country when we need to stay faithful," Booker told the audience at a convention center in downtown Des Moines. All but one Democratic senator voted against Kavanaugh, who was confirmed 50-48.
Booker's appearance was not just a seminal moment for the 49-year-old former mayor of Newark. He is also the party's biggest name to make a foray into the first-in-the-nation caucus state, where so far lesser-known, would-be candidates have been working to get a head start.
Read more: http://www.startribune.com/democrat-booker-fresh-from-kavanaugh-vote-makes-iowa-debut/495361491/