LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Charles Booker is a former state representative for Kentucky's 43rd District and the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate.
He's a lifelong resident of West Lousiville, having spent most of his childhood in the Shawnee neighborhood.
"All my family's from the West End," Booker said.
He's a husband and father to three girls.
"People may not know that I love to sing. I love basketball. I love to write. I love poetry. You know, I'm no Jack Harlow, but I can rap too, a little bit. It's more dad raps nowadays," Booker laughed.
Booker grew up blocks away from Shawnee Park. He was the first in his family to graduate from law school.
"My wife and I still have over six figures in student debt," he said.
Booker became the youngest Black state legislator in nearly 90 years when he was elected to the state house. But now, Booker has his eyes set on Washington and what he said will be a historical win on Nov. 8.
"I don't come from politics, you know, in our community, you folks that are running for office or in elected office, they'll come around when it's election time, but otherwise, we're invisible, you know, and we're survivors," he said.
Booker originally didn't think politics was an option until he went to law school. After talking with mentors, he realized while he’s on a path to argue laws, there are those who make the laws.
“If they're making the laws and they don't see us, how do we change that?" he said.
Growing up in one of the poorest areas of the city, he knows the struggles. When he was homeless with his mom, he said he had to ration his insulin as a Type 1 diabetic.
"There were times my mom and I would walk into the pharmacy, a couple blocks from here, and see the amount come on the screen and have to walk out because we couldn't afford it," Booker said.
It was then, Booker says, he realized his community deserved more.
"My granddad said if your family was being disrespected, you step up," he said. "And that's all I'm doing right now."
He's passed on other high-profile races and realized the bigger impacts he could potentially make as a US Senator.
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"My top three priorities are very clear," Booker said.
Protecting the right to vote, the rights of women who become pregnant and investing in infrastructure.
"That is part of how we end poverty," he said.
But no matter who wins on Nov. 8, Booker says his work is bigger than this race and will forever be about giving a voice to those who've felt ignored.
"Don't lose hope. We have every reason to want to throw our hands up and be frustrated, but we have power if we stand together," Booker said. "Regardless of whether you agree with me on every policy or not. I'm standing up because I love Kentucky and I'm proud of us as hardworking people. And I hope that message shines through."
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