Booker on Harris dropping out: ‘Iowa voters should have the right to choose’

Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) said Iowa voters, not big money, should have determined whether Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) was able to remain in the presidential race.

“Iowa voters should have the right to choose,” he said on ABC’s “This Week.”

The presidential candidate criticized the role “big money” plays in politics and how he said money forced Harris to withdraw from the race. 

“And so, the Democratic Party which makes a right critique that this — we should be stopping the influence of big money in politics,” he said.

.@GStephanopoulos pushes back: Candidates who are “not that wealthy” are “staying in and doing better,” while billionaire Steyer is “pretty far back.”

Booker: “It’s not just billionaires. It’s the fact that Iowa voters should have the right to choose.” https://t.co/mFDcD5A9yo pic.twitter.com/9P3yj6TmU6

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 8, 2019

Booker, making a historical comparison, said John Kerry was able to save his campaign in 2004 by loaning himself $5 million while Harris did not have that option.

ABC’s George Stephanopoulos pushed back on Booker’s claim of billionaire influence in the race saying the four frontrunners, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, are billionaires.

{mosads}Booker responded, “It’s not just billionaires. It’s the fact that Iowa voters should have the right to choose, and that’s the issue because Iowa belies … polls and just about every time.” He noted that no Democrat that made it to the White House in recent history was leading the Iowa polls at this point in the race.

“I’m just at the point, at this point in [the] campaign, let Iowa voters decide,” he said. “It goes to the same issue with the debate right now.”

Harris dropped out of the campaign last week citing financial concerns. Booker has profited from her departure from the race, gaining $1 million in donations after her exit. 

The New Jersey senator has not qualified for the December debate as he has not received any qualifying polls. Some have criticized the party for potentially hosting an all-white presidential debate this month.