Cory Booker

“New Jersey has not elected a Republican to serve in the U.S. Senate since 1972, but I know the conservative principles that my campaign espouses and the broader Republican platform — worrying about the next generation, not the next election — will resonate with people and voters, especially our young voters, get people to the polls and retire Cory Booker,” Murphy said in a campaign video.

Although Murphy earned over 44,000 more votes than in the 2024 GOP Senate primary, Republican voter turnout was significantly lower this year, typical for a race without a presidential election on the ballot. In 2024, Murphy lost to GOP candidate Curtis Bashaw, who then earned nearly double the number of primary votes Murphy won in 2026. Bashaw fell to Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) in the 2024 general election by 9.6 percentage points.

CORY BOOKER VOICES ‘CONCERNS’ WITH GRAHAM PLATNER AFTER LATEST SCANDAL

For a candidate lacking name recognition, Murphy has an uphill battle against the Democratic stalwart Booker. The incumbent boasts over $22.6 million in cash on hand, a striking contrast with Murphy’s negative cash balance.