Cory Booker is re-elected as Newark mayor for second term

NJ.com:
NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker easily won a second term tonight, but with a tighter margin of victory than in 2006, and with only seven of his nine council candidates winning re-election, according to unofficial election results.

Booker received 59 percent of the vote, beating out three challengers — Clifford Minor, Yvonne Garrett Moore and Mirna L. White. Minor, a former prosecutor and municipal judge, received just 35 percent of the vote.

Just before 10 p.m., Booker declared victory and addressed a packed room at the Robert Treat Hotel. While his staff has delivered positive change, he said there is much more work to be done.

“We know we have difficult days ahead, but if I want to be in the trenches with any group of people in the United States of America, I want to be in the trenches fighting with my fellow residents of the city of Newark,” Booker said.

This victory was not as impressive as Booker’s win in 2006, when he won with a clear mandate of 72 percent of the vote, and his slate of nine council candidates was elected.

Although Booker outspent Minor 20 to 1, the subdued former prosecutor and municipal judge was able to marshal an already vocal anti-Booker contingent along with dissatisfaction about crime and joblessness to bring out voters against a mayor who promised major reform and a new era for the city in 2006.

160 out of 163 districts had reported as of 10:50 p.m.

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