Conservative Super PAC Launches Booker Attack

A conservative Super PAC has launched a six-figure attack on Newark Mayor Cory Booker in his bid to become New Jersey’s junior U.S. Senator.

American Commitment Action Fund, the PAC arm of the nonprofit conservative-leaning American Commitment group, on Tuesday launched an anti-Booker ad and website, bookerfail.com.

The web-only ad takes portions of Booker’s Senate television spots and mixes them with shots from his critics, notably Newark City Councilman Ras Baraka, who is vying to replace Booker as mayor.

American Commitment founder, Phil Kerpen, said the group has committed at least $100,000 to the New Jersey Senate campaign and hopes to raise more and that Tuesday’s release would be the first of more to come.

“Booker’s Democratic competitors seem unwilling to throw a punch,’’ Kerpen said. “I think it’s important for people to know about Cory Booker’ record, as opposed to his media image.’’

But the group at least at first failed to spell the two-term mayor’s name correctly. On the website, Booker’s first name was until late morning prominently spelled “Corey.’’ There is no “e” the mayor’s first name.  

The error was inadvertently placed in the copy by an intern, Kerpen said, and slipped past his review.

“How I missed that when I reviewed it, I don’t know,’’ Kerpen said.

Booker is the odds-on favorite in the Aug. 13 Democratic special primary election. The two-term mayor leads his competitors – U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone (D-6) and Rush Holt (D-12), as well as state Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D-34) by at least 40 percentage points.

The winner of the primary will face off on Oct. 16 with the winner of the GOP primary, which pits former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan against Somerset County physician Alieta Eck. Lonegan leads by double digits in the latest polling.

Kerpen and Lonegan are no strangers. Both worked for conservative-leaning group Americans for Prosperity. Kerpen was the group’s former vice president. Lonegan resigned just prior to starting his Senate campaign.

Kerpen said the American Commitment Action Fund had no ties to Lonegan’s campaign, but that he has “a tremendous respect for Steve Lonegan.’’

Kerpen said the state’s Senate race was “the biggest race in the country’’ right now, but added that he saw no reason to launch similar ads against Holt, Pallone or Oliver “unless the race becomes competitive.’’

Kerpen said the group spent about $13,000 on the ad and plans to produce more spots dedicated to giving “people a whole and accurate view,’’ of Booker’s record.

“I think that his support is very shallow,” Kerpen said. “I think a lot of people who don’t know very much about him, like him.’’

Booker's campaign said the ad gets the mayor's record wrong and proves that conservative groups are afraid of the prospect of a Booker win.

“It’s hardly surprising that a group that couldn't even spell the mayor's first name right would get his record wrong too and disparage the work of thousands of Newarkers who have come together to turn around their city," said Kevin Griffis, a Booker spokesman. "The one thing the ad proves is that extremist, right-wing groups are scared of having Cory Booker in the Senate.”