Sen. Cory Booker (D., N.J.) said in a new interview he is planning a "red state farmers tour," raising more speculation he will run for the White House in 2020.
In an interview with Yahoo's Hunter Walker, Booker said the tour of such states was not going to be a "public listening" campaign. He did not specify in the report which states those might be.
"We’re going to do it and not tell anybody we're doing it," he said. "We’re not going to be doing it with lots of media coverage."
Democrats were left reeling in 2016 after losing states like Iowa and Wisconsin—which Barack Obama won twice—to Donald Trump. Trump dominated the Midwest and Great Plains in his electoral victory over Hillary Clinton.
The first-term senator and former Newark mayor has been in high demand as a surrogate, traveling to at least 11 different states to campaign for colleagues. Looked at as a likely 2020 contender, Booker said he will give "hard consideration" to higher office after the 2018 midterms.
"My focus right now is two things; my own reelection and making sure we’re in a strong position for that and the 2018 elections," he said. "I think, that passes, I’ll sit down and give a hard consideration about a lot of folks that are talking to me about doing something else."
Booker has made national headlines with his hardline stances against the Trump administration, such as testifying against the nomination of then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) to become Attorney General. He also shouted at Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen when she testified in January following reported vulgar remarks by Trump about African countries, saying Trump's alleged comments gave him "tears of rage."
Yahoo reported Booker is frequently encouraged by his New Jersey neighbors and attendees of his speeches to run for president. He often responds, "Thank you for that encouragement!"