Cory Booker Net Worth, Career, Biography 2026

About

Cory Booker is an American
politician born on 27^th April 1969. From New Jersey, he has been in
service as a junior United States Senator since 2013. Also, he is a Democratic
Party member. In New Jersey, he is the first black person to secure the
senatorial seat.  Previously, he was the
Newark 36^th Mayor from 2006 – 2013. Before attaining the mayor seat
he worked at Newark Municipal council for the Central ward. This was from 1998
– 2002. On 1^st Feb 2019, he gave a declaration on his intentions to
run for the nominations as the Democratic Party presidential candidate for the
2020 U.S. presidential election.

Washington D.C. is the
birthplace of Booker, and he grew up while living in Harrington Park, New
Jersey. After high school, he enrolled at Stanford University. In 1991, he
graduated and received a BA. A year later, he did masters degree. Before
enrolling at Yale Law School, he went abroad for studies via Rhodes scholarship
at Oxford University. In 1998, he secured victory of Newark Municipal Council
seat. This was after rallying for issues on development in the urban city by
staging hunger strike that lasted 10days. In order to draw more attention, he
lived in the tent briefly for sometimes.

In 2002, he pursued the
mayor seat but lost the election to Sharpe James, the incumbent mayor. In 2006,
he ran again for the same seat, but this time, he emerged victorious, against
Ronald Rice, the Deputy Mayor. During his first term in office, he ensured the
development of affordable housing doubled and also cut down the deficit of the
city budget to $73 million from $180 million. In the 2010 elections, he secured
reelection back to the Mayor seat. In 2013, he was up against Steve Lonegan in
the special senatorial election and emerged victoriously.  In 2014 elections he has reelected back
office by defeating Jeff Bell.

While a Senator, Booker
voting record measurement ranked him as most liberal at the third place. For
being considered socially liberal, he supports affirmative actions, women
rights, single-payer healthcare and marriage of the same sex.

During Bookers five years
term in office, he voted and co-sponsored 2013, Employment Non-Discrimination Act,
Bipartisan Budget Act (2013), National Defense Authorization Act, Respect for
marriage act (2014) and successful pass of First Step Act (2018).

In 2017, he testified
against Jeff Sessions, Attorney general Nominee, at his confirmation hearing.
He, therefore, became the first senator sitting testifying against another.
After the FBI raid on Michael Cohen offices, the personal Attorney of President
Donald Trump, Booker with Lindsey Graham, Thom Tillis, and Chris Coons introduced
a law which limits President Trump Executive Powers of office.

Early Life

Born in Washington D.C. on
27^th April 1969, he was raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey. This
is 32km away from Newark, New Jersey, to the north. He got the political life
inspiration from his parents Cary Alfred Booker and Carolyn Rose who were the
first IBM executives who were black. Booker was raised from a religious
background. Together with his family, they attended African Methodist Episcopal
Church which was a small and based in New Jersey.

Education

Booker was enrolled in
Northern Valley Regional High School, which is at Old Tappan. During his time
in High school, he was a varsity football player. After graduating from high
school, he enrolled in Stanford University, where he graduated in 1991 with a
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. In the following year, he joined the master’s
program, in which he pursued masters of Arts in sociology. While studying at
Stanford University, he was a football player and also a teammate to Ed
McCaffrey and Brad Muster. Additionally, he made it to the All-Pacific-10 team.
And he was also elected into being the senior class President.

Moreover, Booker was also
running “Bridge Peer Counseling Center”, 
Crisis Hotline ran by students and helping the youth in East Palo Alto,
California through Stanford Students. After graduating from Stanford, Booker
received Rhodes scholarship, which took him abroad for studies at Oxford
University. In 1994, he received an honorary degree in U.S. history as a
Queen’s College member. In 1997, he earned the Juris Doctor from Yale School of
Law. While at Yale, he was operating legal clinics which were free for the New
Haven residents with low income in Connecticut. While in Yale, he was the Chai
Society (now Shabtai) founding member. Additionally, he was an active member of
“National Black Law Students Association”

Career

At the Newark Municipal Council

During the final year of
his studies in the Yale Law School, Booker stayed in the city for a while
figuring out what his next move was going to be. And after graduating from
Yale, went on and work as the staff attorney in New York for Urban Justice
Center. Also, he served as the Newark Youth Project, program coordinator.

Later in 1998, he emerged
victorious during the election for Newark Municipal Council seat. He was up
against George Branch, the incumbent who had served for four terms. In order to
raise the alarm about the violence and drug dealings which were done openly; he
hard to draw everyone attention by going for a hunger strike which lasted for
10 days. During this time, he briefly stayed in a tent another part of it in a
motor home just near the parts of the city with drug dealings. Apart from that,
he proposed an initiative to the council that would have an impact on young
people, housing, law & order and also the city hall efficiency and
transparency during its running. Most of his proposals were voted out by the
opposing fellow council members.

Newark Mayor Elections

Election in 2002

Booker gave a declaration
about his intentions to run for Newark mayor seat in 2002. This was opposed to
running for election for his reelection as the council chairman. He went
against Sharpe James the four-term incumbent. Seeing Booker as a threat, James
realized this would not be an easy win. He responded to Booker, by mudslinging
him in one of his events of campaigning. Knowing how much people detest the
Republicans, he applied this as his campaign strategy of bringing down Booker.
This was through calling him a Republican Party member who collected money from
Taliban and KKK. He was accused of intending to take over the Newark through
his collaboration with the Jews. This made the supporters of James question
about Booker background, which was entirely suburban, and with some of him
throwing names at him like carpetbagger, who could never realize the working of
the city. During the elections, Booker was defeated by James by 7% of the total
votes. Due to the nature of the election, it was registered in the nominations
of Oscar Documentary.

At the time of the
campaign for the election, he founded Newark Now, an organization which is
non-profit.

Election in 2006

After losing the seat to
James in 2002, it did not deter Booker from pursuing the election in 2006. He
made an announcement on 11^th Feb 2006 that he would be running again
for the mayor seat. Even though the Sharpe James, the incumbent Mayor was also
filling his papers for reelection, he later canceled the bid, by announcing the
need of him to focus on his other Job as the Senator of the State. The obtained
this work through the 1999 elections.

Instead, his deputy Ronald
Rice ran for the seat. During the campaign period, Booker spent many times more
than Rice. With an estimate of 25:1 ratio in favor of Booker, and because of
this, he was often attacked by Rice. During the campaign period, Booker raised
over $6 million, he also launched back on Rice by terming him as James
“political crony”. After the voting, Booker secured the mayor seat victory by
gaining 72%   of the total votes. Through
his “Booker Team”, he gained most supporters, giving him leadership which is
very firm.

 Election in 2010

During the next elections
in 2010, he gave an announcement on 11^th Feb 2010 about running for
reelection as the Mayor. Knowing how reelections can be tough for members in
the city council, during his announcements he remarked the need of a unitary
government. This time, Booker was running against Clifford J. Minor, the Essex County
prosecutor and also a former judge. This included other two candidates who were
minor. On May 2010, Booker emerged victorious on his reelection by scooping the
seat with 59% of the total votes cast.

Legacy

Booker tenure in office and
personal popularity drew more attention from the media to Newark. As he was enjoying
good ratings by the residents in the city, the legacy he would behind was still
under mixed reviews. Many millions were invested in developing downtown, but at
the same time, there were high rates of murder and unemployment sweeping the
street of his jurisdiction. This was prevalent mostly around the city
neighborhoods. Despite various legal challenges that were launched during his
tenure, the governing of Newark Public Schools is still under the state control
for almost 20 years. In 2011 and 2012, $32 million dollars was received by
Newark as an emergency aid, which needed an agreement between the state and
Newark. This obligated the city into requesting for administrative positions at
the city hall approval by the State.

U.S Senate Elections

Elections, 2013

On 20^th Dec
2012, he declared his intentions of exploring the senate seat, by then, it was
under the rule of Frank Lautenberg during the 2014 elections. This also ended
the rumors that he was aiming at the Governor seat which was then occupied by
Chris Christie, during the gubernatorial elections in 2013. Booker filed papers
on 11^th Jan 2013, which would enable him to form a committee of his
campaign. This was done without him announcing whether he was going to run for
a seat. About a month later, the incumbent 89-year-old Lautenberg announced
stepping down from the race.

A few months later,
Lautenberg died on June due to Viral Pneumonia, about 5 days later, Booker made
his announcement on running for the senatorial seat during the 2013 special
elections. He made public his candidacy both in Willingboro and Newark.

On Democratic nominations
of the primary, he won with an estimate of 59% of the total votes on 13^th
Aug 2013.  During the senatorial
elections on 16^th Oct 2013, he was up against Steve Lonegan, the
Republican Party primary whom he defeated by getting 54.9 % of the total votes
cast.   After 2004 Barack Obama win,
Booker forms one of the first Blacks to be elected into the senatorial seat of
U.S. at the night before attaining his victory, Booker paid a visit to his
father graveside to offer prayers through Vigil candles.

He resigned his duties as
the Newark mayor on Oct 30^th, 2013 and then sworn in as the U.S.
junior senator on 31^st Oct 2013. He forms the first Black person to
win an election into the New Jersey seat.

Election, 2014

On the 2014 nominations
from the senatorial primaries of the Republican Party, three candidates placed
their bids for the position. They include Brian D. Goldenberg who announced on
9^th January 2014, he is a resident of West Orange Township and a
businessman in New Jersey. The seconds are Richard J., who announced on 27^th
January 2014, he is a businessman at the Freehold Township. And the third is
Jeff Bell, who announced his bid on 4^th February 2014, he is a
consultant in conservative political issue. Bell won the nomination.

During the 2014 senatorial
elections, Booker emerged the winner by securing 55.8% of the total casted
votes as opposed to Bell’s 42.4%

2020 Presidential Campaigns

Cory Booker made public
his announcement on 1^st Feb 2019, about his bid for the Democratic
primary nomination for U.S. Presidential candidate. He wants to be running as
the Democratic candidate during the Presidential elections in 2020.

Before making his
announcement public, there were speculations about him running for the
presidential seat in 2020. At that time even Booker himself was uncertain about
his next move. But after his announcement which paints a clear direction of his
future, the rumors have been settled.

After announcing his
stand, he was endorsed every member of the Democratic Party in the New Jersey
house of representatives. Among those who publicly endorsed him are: Governor
Phil Murphy, and Bob Menendez, U.S. Senator. Booker campaign kick-started with
a rally held at Newark on 13^th April 2019.

Positions in Politics

Booker has a liberal
description when it comes to politics. This is attributed by the great liberal
record of voting he has amassed during his career as a senator. In a Salon interview
on July 2013, he stated that “there’s
nothing in that realm of progressive politics where you won’t find
me.” In another interview with “The Grio” on the same year in September,
he was asked whether he considered himself progressive, he answered, “I am
democrat and American”.

As per the humane society, he holds the most of the voting record of
Pro-animal welfare in the senate. This is after many years of supporting animal
welfare while a senator.

For prosperity in economy, Booker is on the frontline supporting
reduction of the deficit in the long term basis. Also, he fights for climate
change by supporting taxation through cap and trade. Last but not least, he
supports education funding should be increased.

During his speeches, he has favored guarantee on federal jobs and baby
bonds (savings for minors with low risks in saving that they can access once
18). During senate, he emphasizes on social injustice and racial issues. In the
passing of First Step Act, he played a vital role that led to its success. The
First Step Act is “a bipartisan criminal justice reform
bill”

He also
supports the end of War on Drugs, affirmative actions and Abortion rights.
Booker joined hands with Bernie Sanders and other Co-sponsors who are 14 in the
support of “a single-payer health care plan” through submitting as “Medicare
for all Bill” on Sep 2017.

When it comes
to matters of foreign policies, Booker is in support of reducing the
Involvement of the United States in Afghanistan and also against the Syria
interventions. After the April 2017 strike on Syria; he criticizes the military
actions that lack approval from congress or a clear plan. On the conflicts
between Israeli and Palestine, he is in support of a two-state solution to come
up with a solution. When it comes to Iran, he feels the country is a direct
threat to the security of U.S. and Israeli. And feels there should be options
on the table to deal with this conflict.

But when he
took a stand to support the nuclear deal framework of Iran, he messed up the
long relationship he had with the Jews supporters and also voters.      In a trial to restore his supports base and
reduce the impact, he organized an emergency summit that included the Jewish
leaders, and supporters, but some of the longstanding supporters did not turn
up.

Family life

Booker has routine
exercises and a vegan since 1992. He was an Oxford University student in UK. He
doesn’t drink alcohol with no known addictions apart from coffee. He started
employing vegan diet in 2014, with expression of vegan philosophy and animal
advocacy.

He attends service at
Metropolitan Baptist Church based in Newark, New Jersey since 2016. Booker has
never married and at one time in 2103, was listed in the Top 40 bachelor list
of Town and Country. Even though, he has tried his best to maintains privacy on
his private life.  At one time due top
rumors of him being gay, he said it out clearly that he is straight, but he’s
trying more dates with the hopes of finding a mate. Rosario Dawson on March
2019, gave a confirmation to TMZ about her and booker dating. In a 1992
Stanford daily, Booker admits as a teenager he detested gays. But sill he is a
potential target for gay rumors even after addressing that in 2013.

Book lived from 1998 -2006
in Brick towers, a housing complex with challenges found in Newark’s Central
Ward. He later moved in Nov 2016 after every other tenant had moved out. He
then moved to a top unit of three-level rentals building on Hawthorne Avenue,
Southward. This area was also known as “a drug- and gang-plagued neighborhood of boarded-up
houses and empty lots”

After moving out, the
bricks towers are no more. He was brought down and in 2010; a mixed-income
development structure was raised there.  From
2013, Booker went on to live in his own townhouse based in Lincoln Park,
Newark’s Central Ward section. The place also referred to as “coast” due to
jazz, arts, and history of nightlife. Last but not least, he is fluent in
Spanish.

Net Worth

Cory’s net worth ranges
between $0.6 and $1.3 million. This was arrived at through his 2017 financial
disclosure, were reported some of his personal assets. Among the sources of his
wealth is the savings account in Bank of America which was in the disclosure,
having $100, 000 – $250, 000. Other disclosures include $250, 000 – $500, 000
in Fidelity Money market acc. And a sum of, $150, 000 – $350, 000 in two
individual retirements Fidelity accounts.

Booker disclosed the
public employee retirement pension from New Jersey which is worth between the
range $50, 000 –  $100, 000, including a
checking acc at the Bank of America with about $50, 000 – $ 100, 000. Apart
from his $174, 000 annual salaries as a senator, there is $325, 000 from his
book royalties, “United:
Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good.”

Investment income and
speaking fee

When booker was running
for the senatorial seat, he was required to submit his financial disclosure to
the federal government. From the report Booker released tax returns for up to
15 years. This included $1 million dollars in tax and about 4$ million in
income during the 15 years.

The total income includes
$1.3 million from the speaking fees, with a large sum of it coming from 2009 –
2012.  By this time, he was Newark Mayor.
And another sum of it came from his previous law firm which was a payout of
$690, 000.

In 2013, he was under
scrutiny for failing to disclose the total stake which he owned on the Waywire,
a site for sharing video. He co-founded the site with Erick Schmidt, the
executive chairman of Google. As an estimate, his stake on that investment was worth
$1 million – $5 million, and this was in 2013. But within the same year in
September, he gave a declaration about his decision to leave the management
board and donated to charity his shares. In 2013, the site got sold to Magnify
for an amount that was not disclosed to the public.

Cory Booker Quotes On:

Abortion

• Keep federal funding for family planning
  clinics. (Mar 2017
• Access safe, legal abortion without
  restrictions (Jan 2015
• Ban anti-abortion limitations on
  abortion services. (Nov 2013
• No restrictions before viability;
  exceptions after viability. (Sep 2013
• OpEd: In mainstream of NJ, supporting
  abortion rights. (Oct 2013
• Fix Hobby Lobby: it’s not about
  religious freedom. (Jul 2014
• Claimed to support post-viability
  exceptions, but voted no. (Apr 2017

Budget & Economy

• Budget crisis: cut $60M in spending; cut
  municipal taxes. (Feb 2008
• Replace spending with tax incentives to
  stimulate hiring. (Dec 2011
• Endorsed Gov. Christie’s property tax
  agenda (Jun 2012
• Paying your fair share isn’t class
  warfare, it’s patriotism. (Sep 2012
• 2010 recession: sold city buildings and
  raised city taxes. (Aug 2016

Civil Rights

• Parents experienced racist “redlining”
  at family home in NJ. (Jan 2019
• Will fight for LGBTQ rights; everyone
  should feel safe. (Mar 2019
• Supports commission investigating
  reparations for slavery. (Apr 2019
• Wants new Voting Right Act; end
  gerrymandering. (May 2019
• Next president must talk openly and
  honestly about race. (Jun 2019

Corporations

• Don’t condemn high tech business;
  regulate them. (Mar 2019
• Enforce antitrust; president shouldn’t
  decide targets. (May 2019
• Deal with corporate consolidation to let
  free market work. (Jun 2019

Crime

• 2010: Layoff police officers to push for
  union concessions. (Aug 2016
• Evolved from supporting Broken Windows
  theory to opposition (Apr 2017
• Legalize marijuana; restore ex-con
  voting rights. (Mar 2019
• More black men are in jails now than
  under slavery. (Jun 2019
• Theory of “broken windows”
  doesn’t drive down crime. (Feb 2016
• Anti-recidivism funds much scanter than
  prison funds. (Feb 2016
• Opportunities for dropouts: avoid
  school-to-prison pipeline. (Aug 2016
• Rich-and-guilty treated better than
  poor-and-innocent. (Mar 2019
• Cut mandatory minimum sentences; end
  solitary for juveniles. (May 2019

Drugs

• Decriminalize marijuana; expunge past
  criminal records. (Mar 2019
• Legalize marijuana nationally including
  recreational use. (May 2019
• Opioid manufacturers should be held
  criminally liable. (Jun 2019)
• Marijuana Justice Act: decriminalize pot
  & expunge records. (Jul 2019
• Remove cocaine sentencing disparities.
  (Jul 2019
• Don’t lock people up for drugs &
  poverty; lift them up. (Jul 2019

Education

• Free community college; loan
  forgiveness; apprenticeships (Mar 2019
• Support public education including some
  charter schools. (Mar 2019
• Investment in education helps the whole
  society. (Apr 2019
• Government should not profit from
  student debt. (Apr 2019

Energy & Oils

• 50% clean and carbon free electricity by
  2030. (Mar 2016
• Leadership in dealing with climate
  change, including nuclear. (Mar 2019
• Mixed score on “350 Action’s 2020
  Climate Test”. (Mar 2019
• Rejoin Paris Climate Agreement, plus
  domestic legislation. (Apr 2019
• Carbon tax should go to alleviating
  inequality. (Apr 2019

Environment

• Vegetarian since 1992; vegan since 2014.
  (Feb 2016
• Rated 100% on all animal welfare
  ratings. (Dec 2016
• Support next-generation advanced nuclear
  reactors. (Apr 2019
• Passaic River poisoned because it was
  cheaper for business. (Feb 2016

Families & Children

• Government funded savings account at
  birth. (Apr 2019
• Opposes family separation policy at
  southern border. (Feb 2019
• Paid family leave is a necessity. (Jul
  2016
• Society struggles without paid family
  leave. (Feb 2016
• Job-protected time off for bereavement
  and illness. (Feb 2016

Foreign Policies

• Fund the life-saving work done by
  diplomats. (Mar 2017
• Re-examine relationship with Saudi
  Arabia. (Feb 2019
• Support our allies, not our enemies.
  (May 2019
• Not working with allies on Iran makes us
  weaker. (Jun 2019

Free Trade

• Promote exports, but restrict
  multilateral trade deals. (Apr 2017
• Deal with China despite their cheating.
  (Apr 2017
• No fast-track trade authority for
  Trans-Pacific Partnership. (Feb 2019

Government Reforms

• Declined lavish perks as Newark City
  Councilor. (Feb 2016
• Even billionaires need transparency in
  confirmation hearings. (Jan 2017
• 10-day process to fire Russia probe
  special prosecutor. (Apr 2018

Gun Control

• As with civil rights, we can build
  coalitions for gun laws. (Jun 2019
• We require licenses to drive; so require
  licenses for guns. (Jun 2019
• Gun control works; refuse to believe
  it’s not doable. (May 2019

Health care

• Allow importing prescription drugs to
  lower Rx prices. (Feb 2019
• Medicare for all; start with commonsense
  reforms. (Mar 2019
• Support Medicare for All but do what’s
  possible now. (May 2019

Home land security

• No irresponsible spending on weapons
  military doesn’t want. (Apr 2017
• Transgender troops should be allowed to
  serve. (Feb 2019
• Supports military spending on Foreign
  Affairs Committee. (Mar 2019

Immigration

• Support DREAMers, reform immigration to
  reflect our values. (Mar 2019
• Intervene in refugees’ home countries;
  reform asylum process. (Apr 2019
• Make major investments in the Northern
  Triangle. (Jun 2019

Jobs

• Fair wage jumpstarts consumer spending
  and creates jobs. (Apr 2017
• Supports $15 minimum wage and guaranteed
  jobs. (Feb 2019
• Pilot program to fund jobs paying at
  least $15/hour. (May 2019

Principles & Values

• We succeed by showing the best of who we
  are. (May 2019
• I’ve taken on bullies & won, by
  seeing common purpose. (Jun 2019
• Trump is acting as an authoritarian
  against the Constitution. (Jul 2019

Social security

• Once supported raising retirement age;
  now opposes it. (Apr 2017
• COLA adjustments needed for retirement
  plans. (Apr 2017
• Raise the cap on Social Security taxes
  to fund system. (Mar 2019

Tax reforms

• Promised no taxes; but meant “no on
  one city tax increase”. (Apr 2017
• Helped people claim earned-income tax
  credit. (Apr 2019
• Expand Earned Income Tax Credit. (May
  2019

Technology

• Fix crumbling rail & road with
  National Infrastructure Bank. (Jul 2014
• We can’t afford to ignore aging
  infrastructure anymore. (Mar 2015
• Prison construction draws resources from
  other priorities. (Feb 2016

War & Peace

• End intervention in Yemen & Iran,
  but not Israel. (Mar 2019
• Would rejoin Iran nuclear deal &
  work with allies. (Jun 2019
• Get back into nuclear deal with Iran;
  negotiate if possible. (Jun 2019

Welfare & Poverty

• Post-WWII policy of redlining forced
  racially-biased housing. (Feb 2016
• Newark got disproportionate share of
  dumps & jails. (Feb 2016
• HOME Act: $134 billion a year via EITC
  for people in poverty – Jan 2019

Frequently Asked Questions