Booker to launch campaign tour from city where he was mayor

Democratic presidential hopeful Cory Booker is set to launch a national campaign tour with a rally in the New Jersey city where he served as mayor as he looks to break out of a crowded 2020 field.

The 49-year-old New Jersey senator has made visiting early voting states a priority but remains in the middle of the pack with poll numbers in the single digits. Still, his campaign is projecting confidence that he doesn’t have to surge early to succeed.

Of course, Booker and his advisers know that building his profile requires moments in the spotlight. Saturday’s rally before a friendly base in Newark gives the campaign a chance “to keep Cory front and center with the voters,” as his campaign manager said.