If elected, Cory Booker would be 7th African-American in history to hold seat in U.S. Senate

Newark Mayor Cory Booker with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Photo from foxnews.com.

Newark Mayor Cory Booker has announced he is exploring a potential run for the U.S. Senate in lieu of the governorship currently held by Gov. Chris Christie. Booker — considered by pundits as the only Democrat in New Jersey with any chance of competing in an election against Gov. Christie —  said he wants to finish his term as mayor, adding that as Senator he would have more “leverage” at the federal level.

The seat Booker is seeking is currently held by 88-year-old Sen. Frank Lautenberg whose political future is uncertain as Lautenberg has not said he will be retiring.

However, if Lautenberg decides not to run for re-election, Booker is a shoe in for the available seat. The last time New Jersey voters elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate was in 1972.

This raises an interesting historical fact, if elected, Booker would be only the 7th African-American in U.S. history to hold a seat at the upper house of the U.S. Congress and the first from the Garden State.