GUEST BOOKER: Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla’s Fundraiser Goes Off Without Key Guest, Senator Cory Booker

(ABOVE: photo via twitter)

Mayor Ravi Bhalla held a fundraiser last night at Jet.com headquarters on the Hoboken Waterfront. With select tickets going for $2,500 a pop, Bhalla was welcoming special guest, Senator Cory Booker —the man who swore him in when he assumed the Office of Mayor back in January.

Join @SenBooker and me for a special event in #Hoboken on June 28th at @Jet’s HQ. Tickets are extremely limited, please RSVP by emailing theo@siiconsulting.com. pic.twitter.com/sWuKXixnYQ

— Ravinder S. Bhalla (@RaviBhalla) June 14, 2018

However, the Senator was reportedly unable to attend. Booker’s inability to appear obviously came as a bit of a surprise, with Bhalla staffers promoting the event as recently as yesterday afternoon:

I’m excited to be with @SenBooker tonight in @Hoboken – our country needs the leadership he and @SenatorMenendez offer, especially at this time when our most fundamental values are being threatened #NoBanNoWall https://t.co/sdniIyWXHA

— John Allen (@JPA07030) June 28, 2018

According to a Bhalla supporter, “Senator McConnell called a vote on the Farm Bill that required Senator Booker to have to stay in DC to do his job.”

“Other than that, we had a great night,” said the supporter. “Over 100 people came to celebrate Hoboken.”

Sometimes, actually serving the role for which you were elected can get in the way of campaigning.

**UPDATE: Senator Booker DID, however, make it to CNN Studios directly across the river, for a live segment with Don Lemon at 10:37 ET***

The event capped a rough week for the Mayor, who faced significant criticism locally for a traffic nightmare on Hoboken’s southern arteries. On the regional stage, Bhalla has been widely chastised for his criticism of Democratic Party firebrand Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez while campaigning for her opponent, incumbent Representative Joe Crowley, in Queens last Saturday.

Bhalla’s event was to raise funds for his Mayoral campaign, with tickets ranging from $250 to $2,500 a head.

“The Senator has promised Mayor Bhalla to make a trip to Hoboken in the near future,” said the Bhalla supporter.

Get your selfie stick ready…

***UPDATE (11:40 a.m.): Senator Booker has issued a video***