Politics & Government

Holt Launches Campaign Website, Takes Aim At Booker

The U.S. Senate campaign heats up as Holt touts progressive record in new web ad.

This post was reported and written by Wall Patch Local Editor Keith Brown.

U.S. Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) touts big brains and a progressive voting record as he aims squarely at Newark Mayor Cory Booker in his first web campaign spot in the New Jersey Senate race.

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The video was part of Holt’s full campaign website, launched Wednesday morning. 

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    In the video, Holt spends a good deal of time separating himself from Booker’s high-publicity actions.

    “I don’t have a million Twitter followers. I’ve never run into a burning building. And I‘m not friends with Mark Zuckerberg,’’ Holt says. “So why would I run for Senate against Cory Booker? Well, in Congress, I’ve always done what I think is right for New Jersey.”

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    Sitting atop a classroom desk, Holt identifies himself as a teacher and a scientist with a progressive voting record. He voted against the Iraq War, to repeal the Patriot Act, to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and for expanded background checks for gun purchasers, he says in the video.

    Booker has a commanding lead in the race, according to a Monmouth University poll released last week. The Newark mayor attracted 63 percent of likely voters over 10 percent for Holt, eight percent for U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6) and six percent for state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-Essex).

    Holt also plugs an appearance two years ago on the nighttime game show Jeopardy!, where he beat IBM supercomputer “Watson.’’

    “I’m going to beat Cory Booker and win this campaign like I beat ‘Watson’ on Jeopardy! … one answer at a time,’’ he says.


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