Rising Democratic star Newark Mayor Cory Booker won the Democratic primary Tuesday, moving one step closer to becoming New Jersey's first African-American U.S. senator.
Booker will now face off Republican Steve Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, N.J., in a special election Oct. 16.
Lonegan, who was state director of the conservative group Americans for Prosperity, won his Republican primary Tuesday against physician Alieta Eck.
The election was held to fill the seat of the late Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg who died in June at 89 years old.
After claiming victory, Booker, 44, told his supporters Tuesday night that, "If you want someone in Washington who plays by the same old rules, find someone else. I'm going to the Senate the same way I came to Newark, determined to be a positive force ... to be innovative, to be creative, to do what's necessary to create progress,'' reports USA Today.
Lonegan slammed the Democrat in a fiery victory speech in Secaucus, N.J., claiming Booker had been "anointed by Hollywood" and was the top choice of "Silicon Valley moguls" who want to make him California's third U.S. senator.
Booker used his national fame and name recognition to help amass funding for his campaign, solicting donations from big name friends like Oprah Winfrey and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Altogether he raised more than $8.6 million.
Snowballing that success, Booker defeated two members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, Reps. Frank Pallone and Rush Holt, as well as Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, reports CBS News.
Booker argued that his high profile would allow him to be more effective in Washington. "I find ways to break through the noise of the country and more effectively advocate and get things done," he told the Asbury Park Press last month.
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