Booker Drops Out of Presidential Race

New Jersey senator Cory Booker has ended his bid for the White House, ahead of tomorrow’s Democratic Debate which he failed to qualify for. 

It’s with a full heart that I share this news—I’m suspending my campaign for president.

To my team, supporters, and everyone who gave me a shot—thank you. I am so proud of what we built, and I feel nothing but faith in what we can accomplish together. pic.twitter.com/Fxvc549vlJ

— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) January 13, 2020

Booker’s departure from the crowded race was ultimately due to a lack of ability to fundraise; the New Jersey native never truly saw momentum and ultimately failed to differentiate himself within the field of presidential hopefuls. Booker never broke 5 percent in a national poll. 

Throughout the campaign, Booker tried to distinguish himself as a qualified minority candidate, but hardly gained steam. After former Obama Administration HUD Secretary Julián Castro exited the race, also due to a lack of fundraising, Booker attempted to gain a last-minute fundraising haul, citing minority candidates being left out of the race, per The Hill:

Booker sends fundraising plea on Castro's exit from the race: "Julián Castro announced that he is ending his campaign for president -- becoming yet another person of color exiting a field of candidates that began as the most diverse in our nation’s history." pic.twitter.com/bgiUOD1VEG

— Alexandra Jaffe (@ajjaffe) January 2, 2020

Indeed, the field of Democrats left in the race is almost exclusively white; the only minority candidates remaining are Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard, unless you ask Elizabeth Warren, of course.

President Trump also weighed in on Booker's departure:

Really Big Breaking News (Kidding): Booker, who was in zero polling territory, just dropped out of the Democrat Presidential Primary Race. Now I can rest easy tonight. I was sooo concerned that I would someday have to go head to head with him!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 13, 2020

Cory Booker’s shining moment did not take place on the presidential campaign trail, though. 

Booker’s departure comes just three weeks before the Iowa caucuses.