Booker headlining Democratic fundraiser in New Hampshire

Sen. Cory Booker is set to headline a fundraiser next month in New Hampshire, the state Democratic Party confirmed Thursday, bolstering speculation that the New Jersey Democrat’s presidential ambitions remain alive after a failed 2020 bid. 

Booker, who first won his seat in a 2013 special election, will be a featured speaker for the “McIntyre-Shaheen and Eleanor Roosevelt Winter Extravaganza: A Family Reunion,” which is being organized by the New Hampshire Democratic Party. The fundraiser will be held on Dec. 11 and is the first major in-person event put on by the state party since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends, touting my colleagues’ record of delivering results for New Hampshire, and discussing the incredible progress President Joe Biden has made at building our economy back better than before, from delivering tax cuts for millions of families with kids to signing into law a historic bipartisan investment in roads, bridges, and infrastructure that sets the stage for a new era of American prosperity,” Booker said in a statement. 

The fundraiser marks a return for Booker to a state where he heavily campaigned in the 2020 cycle. While he dropped out of the race before any nominating contests were held last year, he spent much of his time campaigning in New Hampshire in an apparent bid to gin up support in the first-in-the-nation primary state. 

Booker has long been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party since his days as mayor of Newark, N.J., and few believed his presidential ambitions would be quelled by his unsuccessful campaign in 2020.

“As we come off a year of historic wins, we are so excited to welcome Senator Booker back to the Granite State,” said New Hampshire Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley. “Senator Booker’s passion and commitment to the Democratic Party is known throughout New Hampshire, and we are excited for him to join us to prepare for more victories in 2022.” 

New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan (D) and Reps. Annie Kuster (D) and Chris Pappas (D), who are all facing reelection bids next year, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) will also speak at next month’s event. Hassan’s race in particular is viewed as a lynchpin in both parties’ strategies to win control of the Senate, which is divided 50-50.