In a visit to a brewery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire just weeks before the 2024 presidential election, US Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey delivered a rousing speech to a crowd of Kamala Harris supporters. The senator, who is on an eight-state tour, stressed the critical importance of the Granite State in the upcoming elections.
Booker began his remarks expressing deep gratitude for the community leaders and local elected officials in attendance, emphasizing their vital role in building strong communities.
Speaking as Hurricane Milton towards for central Florida, Booker spoke of his personal experience during Hurricane Sandy, recounting how he received calls from both President Obama and then-New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who set aside partisan differences to ensure the safety of their constituents.
He used this anecdote to highlight the selflessness and community spirit exemplified by an elderly man he encountered during the storm, who was standing guard on a hill to protect others from the dangerous conditions.
“The greatness I saw exhibited that night was the man standing on the hill to make sure nobody else got hurt,” Booker told the crowd. “That’s what our democracy has always been about. It’s about the people that are willing, in the darkest of nights, to stand on the hill to hold up a light for other people.”
Booker stressed the need for citizens to see themselves as beacons of light, committed to securing reproductive rights, public education, and other critical opportunities for the nation. He expressed gratitude for the attendees’ dedication to the country, especially during these challenging times.
“The reality is, this state is going to make a big difference,” Booker said. “The electoral college votes here could literally be the votes that make the difference. Or I keep telling people, we’ve got to blow it out. We’ve got to win, not by one point, because this is a former president who may not honor the results of this election.”
Assistant Mayor Joe Kelly of Portsmouth said Booker’s visit was a sign of the energy and enthusiasm Democrats across the state were feeling.
“It was really great to have Senator Booker here. To me, what’s really exciting is that we’re seeing this revival of millennials who I think felt a little bit disenfranchised by politics, really coming out and having that momentum that we had when we were, you know, freshly 18 and 19, voting for Obama.”
