WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Senator Cory Booker, D-N.J., has jumped into the already crowded field of candidates running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Booker, an African-American, launched his campaign for president with the release of a video on Friday, the first day of Black History Month.
'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,' Booker says in the video.
Booker also notes that he is the only Senator who 'goes home to a low-income, inner city community' in the central ward of Newark.
A former two-term mayor of Newark, Booker was elected to the Senate in 2013, becoming the first African-American Senator from New Jersey.
The Senator took to Twitter later in the day to further share his thoughts about why he is running for president.
'The promise of our country, that this is a country that works for everyone, is hanging in the balance,' Booker tweeted. 'When we should be coming together to take on our biggest challenges, there are forces at work trying to split us apart.'
'People feel left out. They worry that the lines that divide us right now are stronger than the ties that bind us,' he added. 'I'm running to change that.'
With his announcement, Booker joins a large Democratic field that already includes Senator Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, and others.
Senators Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., have also announced exploratory committees, and big names such as former Vice President Joe Biden, former Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg could also enter the race.
The White House was quick to respond to Booker's candidacy, with Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway questioning why the Senator is running against so many female candidates.
'What's wrong with the candidates that are already in there?' Conway said during an interview with Fox News. 'If he were a Republican running against them, they would immediately call him a sexist for running against these women in the Democratic field.'
Conway also referenced President Donald Trump's past remarks claiming Booker ran Newark 'into the ground' while he was mayor.
In his video, Booker seemed to take a shot at Trump by suggesting Americans should feel 'pride, not shame' when they see the faces of their leaders on television.
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