Cory Booker: Yep, I'm Running

Newark Mayor Cory Booker surprised precisely nobody today by formally announcing that he's running for New Jersey's open Senate seat, reports Politico. “I’m here today because I know who we are, and what we are capable of,” he declared. The move was so expected that the National Republican Senatorial Committee beat him to the punch yesterday with this slam, reports the Star-Ledger:

• "It remains to be seen whether Cory Booker the candidate can match Cory Booker’s celebrity persona in this kind of race, since campaigning is so much different from party hopping in Hollywood, appearing on television, or tweeting."

Booker will run in the Democratic primary in August to fill the late Frank Lautenberg's seat, with the special election following in October. (Conventional wisdom has it that Gov. Chris Christie set it up that way to avoid a heavy Democratic turnout in the November general election, when he's up for re-election.) Booker is the favorite but not exactly a shoo-in, given that he's expected to face congressmen Frank Pallone and Rush Holt, along with the state's Assembly speaker, in the primary. (More Cory Booker stories.)