CONCORD, N.H (NBC) – Cheers and chants erupted in the halls of the New Hampshire Statehouse as Democrat Cory Booker registered for the nation’s first presidential primary.
Ardent supporters lined the walls and the halls, welcoming the New Jersey senator, chanting “Cory, Cory” as he filed by on his way to file the paperwork to run in New Hampshire’s Democratic primary set for February 11th.
Booker spoke after signing the paperwork and a check for the $1,000 filing fee.
“I’m very excited about the campaign that we’ve built,” Booker said. “I think we are earning a reputation about being the best person, the best voice to call to the higher angels of our nation, which seeing the moral vandalism in the white house, that’s what we need.”
He also answered questions about the Democratic field growing by one with former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick’s late entry Thursday. Booker explained, “I’m not running for the short-term goal of beating Republicans. Yeah, I want to beat the one that’s in the White House. But I’m running for the larger call of our country which is to unite Americans.”
Booker also shared a warning about the Russians. He said, “This is a moment where, I’m telling you, the Russians… I’ve read their intelligence reports about their strategies. One of their main strategies is to try to make us hate each other more because they know that the more that we hate each other, the less that we get done.”
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