Key keywords: Cory Booker 2028 presidential run, Democratic 2028 presidential candidate, New Jersey Senator, US 2028 presidential election, Democratic primary race, criminal justice reform advocate, Biden administration ally, progressive US lawmaker During a post-town hall press gaggle in Newark, New Jersey on Wednesday, Sen. Cory Booker ended months of speculation about his future political ambitions by confirming he is “definitely not ruling out” a bid for the U.S. presidency in 2028, marking the first time the high-profile Democrat has publicly acknowledged openness to a second White House run. Booker, who first ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 before dropping out and endorsing then-candidate Joe Biden, told reporters that his immediate focus remains on supporting Democratic candidates up and down the ballot in the 2024 election cycle, but added that he would “assess the landscape and the needs of the country” once the 2024 votes are counted. The 54-year-old lawmaker, long viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party, has built a national reputation for his bipartisan work on criminal justice reform, including leading the passage of the 2018 First Step Act, which reduced mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug offenses and expanded prison rehabilitation programs. He has also been a vocal advocate for reproductive rights, universal pre-K, a $15 federal minimum wage, and aggressive action to combat climate change, earning support from both progressive and moderate factions of the Democratic Party. In recent months, Booker has made frequent trips to key 2028 battleground states including Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin, headlining Democratic fundraisers, rallying with union groups, and meeting with local community organizers, moves that political insiders have viewed as clear preparations for a potential presidential run. A recent Morning Consult poll of Democratic primary voters found Booker polling in the top five potential 2028 candidates, with 8% of respondents saying they would support him if he enters the race, behind only Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Booker’s allies say his ability to connect with Black, Latino, and working-class white voters, combined with his track record of passing bipartisan legislation, makes him uniquely positioned to win a competitive primary and prevail in a general election. Critics, however, note that his 2020 presidential campaign failed to gain traction beyond single-digit support, and argue that he may struggle to stand out in what is expected to be a crowded 2028 Democratic primary field. For his part, Booker has repeatedly emphasized that he will not make a formal decision about a 2028 run until after the 2024 election, saying “right now, the only job I’m focused on is making sure we keep the White House, take back the House, and hold the Senate so we can deliver real results for working families.”