Charles Booker will remain a member of the Democratic Party.
The Democratic U.S. Senate nominee had been contemplating changing his political registration to independent, but that plan is now off. Booker is staying with the Democratic Party, according to an authority within the Booker campaign.
The news likely follows a sigh of relief from high-profile Democrats backing Booker, and the likes of Gov. Andy Beshear, D-Kentucky. If Booker loses the race for Senate this year, a challenge from an Independent like Booker in the 2023 gubernatorial general election could siphon enough votes to imperil Beshear’s chances next year.
The confirmation that he will not follow those plans to become an independent like Sen. Bernie Sanders, will also keep national Democratic donors pumping money into his campaign.
Booker is running for U.S. Senate on a progressive platform against Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Rand Paul in the General Election this November. He had been contemplating a party shift around July 4, but was talked out of those plans.
In his latest fundraising report, Booker raised $1.14 million and enters the start of the summer election period with $900k in cash on hand. Paul is well funded with $9 million in his campaign war chest.
