The already-crowded field of Democratic presidential contenders grew by one yesterday as Senator Cory Booker told lawmakers he’s joining the race.

The Hill reports:

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) on Thursday began calling members of Congress informing them he is running for president and is quietly making overtures to members for support, three congressional sources told The Hill.

“Yes, he is reaching out to members for their support,” said a former Democratic aide with direct knowledge of Booker’s intentions. “He’s going to do it during Black History Month,” which starts on Friday.

“I don’t know if it’s going to be tomorrow, I just know it’s going to be soon.”

Among those who received a call Thursday were senior members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), of which Booker is a member.

“He’s making calls,” a fourth source, Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), confirmed to The Hill on Thursday night. “He left me a voice message. I have to call him back.”

Per the NY Times, Booker – who compared himself to Spartacus during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings – officially made the announcement in a Friday morning email to supporters:

Mr. Booker, in a morning email sent to supporters, drew on the spirit of the civil rights movement as he laid out his vision for a country that will “channel our common pain back into our common purpose.”

“The history of our nation is defined by collective action; by interwoven destinies of slaves and abolitionists; of those born here and those who chose America as home; of those who took up arms to defend our country, and those who linked arms to challenge and change it,” Mr. Booker said in an accompanying video.

He announced his candidacy on the first day of Black History Month and planned to spend the morning offering his first three media interviews to national radio shows anchored by black and Latino hosts. He is scheduled to appear later on the television show “The View” with his mother in the audience.

“The history of our nation is defined by collective action,” Booker said in his first 2020 campaign video, where he talked about his upbringing and how he is “the only Senator” to go home to a low-income, inner-city neighborhood.

His biggest competitor at this point is viewed to be fellow Senator Kamala Harris (CA), who officially kicked off her presidential bid with a rally in her hometown of Oakland this past Sunday.

It’s way too early in Booker’s campaign for any hints as to who he would potentially pick as a vice-presidential running mate, but don’t rule out his imaginary friend T-Bone.

Stay tuned.

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