A US Senator’s Top Tips for Surviving the 2024 Election ‘Pollercoaster’
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker joined The Daily Beast Podcast less than a week ahead of Election Day and shared how he manages his anxiety during the run-up to Kamala Harris and Donald Trump 's face-off.
Constantly reviewing data and punditry, the Democratic politician told hosts Joanna Coles and Samantha Bee, is simply overwhelming.
"It's a pollercoaster," Booker said. "It's too much... Why am I letting myself wake up in the morning and see Kamala only up by one point in Michigan, letting that get me upset?" he continued. "This is one of those times where you just do everything you can. As my coach used to say in football, don't look at the scoreboard. Just on this play, do as best you can to advance the ball."
What does that look like? According to Booker, any (and every) little thing you do to support your candidate in the days before an election can make a difference.
When Bee asked if it would help if she phone-banked, for instance, Booker was emphatic.
"It actually will!" he said. "In 2016 in Wisconsin, one vote per voting machine different, a few votes per precinct different, would've changed the outcome of that election. From Maine to Montana, these are elections that have been turned on less than a thousand votes in each one."
Even with days to go, Booker maintained that individual actions still hold weight. He urged listeners to think deeply about their level of civic engagement.
"What you do in these final days matters," he said. "And what will be your best measure of your devotion to this country? Will it be sedentary agitation, where you're so upset about what's going on but you failed to get up?"
