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Analysis Of Cory Booker's Campaign Against James Sharpe

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In 2002, Cory Booker ran a campaign against James Sharpe for mayor of Newark, New Jersey. James Sharpe was a 16 year incumbent mayor, a long time resident of Newark, and had built up an exceptional amount of influence amongst the community, while Cory Booker was a city council member, neighborhood activist, and fairly new to the community. The outcome of the election was a loss for Booker, but brought to attention serious social and political issues within Newark. Street Fight, a 2005 documentary by Marshall Curry, followed Booker and his campaign team and documented the process. Street Fight gives a firsthand look into the struggles of campaigning, urban life, and the election process. A utilization of machine-styles politics is seen in James …show more content…

Individuals who showed support for Booker faced extreme consequences. Sharpe would use his connections to shutdown any businesses that openly supported Booker. There were businesses that withdrew their support for Booker, in fear that Sharpe would have them shut down (Street Fight). A preacher who made unfavorable remarks about James Sharpe was threatened with fiscal consequences against his church. In addition, Sharpe had government workers who supported Booker demoted (Street Fight). One women, living in government-assisted housing, was evicted for displaying a pro-Cory Booker sign. Sharpe did not just stop with intimidation and coercion of Newark constituents. Booker’s campaign trailer was burglarized, important documents regarding information on Newark voters were stolen, and phone cords were ripped out of the walls. Booker’s campaign signs were vandalized and he was attacked in the media (Street Fight). An additional characteristic of machine-style politics is exhausting great energy on the mobilization of voters (Judd & Swanstrom, 49). James Sharpe had authority over all facets of Newark and that enabled him to easily mobilize voters of Newark. Sharpe’s leadership was a classic machine-style

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