Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), who ran for president in 2020, says he will support “whoever our nominee is coming out of the convention,” signaling he’s open to backing a Democratic nominee other than President Biden.
Booker said he didn’t want to air the party’s “issues publicly” but nevertheless hinted he’s not entirely satisfied with Biden heading the party’s ticket in 2024 by expressing openness to another nominee for president, despite the president’s insistence that he won’t drop out of the race.
“I’ve been very, very pointed with press all throughout the week that I’m not airing these things publicly,” Booker told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
“I have very directly had conversations with the White House, with the president and his team, and with Chuck Schumer, our leader, but I’m a big believer that right now the worst thing to do in terms of hurting the Democratic brand is to air a lot of these issues publicly,” Booker said, referring to the Senate Majority leader.
“That’s my decision. And I’m going to make sure that I position myself best to support whoever our nominee is coming out of the convention,” he said.
Booker made his comments after fellow Democratic Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) last week called on Biden to drop his reelection campaign “for the good of the country.”
Welch said the national conversation is focused on President Biden’s age and capacity,” noting “only he can change it.”
The Vermont senator pointed to polling showing that voters in Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia are shifting to the GOP.
Welch also hailed Vice President Harris, who Democratic strategists say would have the inside track to win the nomination if Biden drops out, as a “capable, proven leader.”
Three Democratic senators, Jon Tester (Mont.), Sherrod Brown (Ohio) and Michael Bennet (Colo.), warned at a private meeting last week that they think Biden will lose to Trump in November.