Christie: Booker Could be Problem for Trump in 2020

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) speaks on behalf of U.S. Democratic congressional candidate Chris Pappas encouraging volunteer campaign canvassers ahead of the midterm elections in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, U.S., October 28, 2018.

In his announcement video, Booker talked of his upbringing in New Jersey, one that he noted distinguishes him from the rest of the Senate - as well as his competitors in the presidential race.

When he was elected to Congress Mr Booker's campaign received more donations from the financial sector than any other candidate.

Conway ripped Booker for interrogating President Donald Trump's Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh at a confirmation hearing around sexual misconduct accusations, that turned into a self-described "Spartacus moment".

The high-profile Democrat from New Jersey announced his White House run with a new website and a tweet featuring a two-minute-long campaign launch video, as well as an email to supporters.

Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) announced his candidacy for USA president on Friday morning, signing the official papers, launching a new website, and sharing his first campaign ad online.

Despite that, Booker has been viewed skeptically by his party's left, and been ridiculed by conservatives who say his image has been carefully manufactured.

In the Senate, Booker has been a strong advocate of overhauling the criminal justice system. Last year, he said he doesn't know if he has tapped into "a winning political message or not, but I will always be talking about trying to unify this country, trying to bring us together".

While Obama was raised by a single white mother who frequently struggled to make ends meet, Booker's parents were among the first black executives at computer giant IBM. He has $4.1 million left in his campaign coffers that could also be used to assist his presidential run. Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand and Kamala Harris announced presidential plans, most Democratic strategists and officials consider Booker a top-tier contender who has spent months building relationships and laying organizational groundwork in the early voting states.

At times, he has caught Trump's attention.

In a Democratic primary campaign he would be expected to get a rough ride from those on the progressive, Bernie Sanders wing of the party. "Remember he was pretending he was breaking with protocol in this Senate, that he was going to release confidential emails, and I believe it was Senator [John] Cornyn of Texas, reminded him that those had already been released".

"People do care about the fact that the country is so divided and find a message of unity appealing, but I suspect economic messages will be stronger than that message", said Judy Reardon, a veteran New Hampshire Democratic strategist. However, when Trump later fired Sessions over his recusal in the Russian Federation investigation, Booker said it was an "alarming development".