AUSTIN, Texas — Texans might be seeing a lot more of Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., this year.

That’s because the erstwhile presidential candidate is pledging to do everything he can to help his party’s Senate candidate in Texas — James Talarico.

“I am excited about Talarico because he’s a next-generation candidate, and I’ve been saying we need new leaders,” Booker told Spectrum News. “This is a renewal of the American spirit and that’s why I’m such a big supporter of Talarico because he’s not easily put into a left-right box. He’s a Texan that’s going to stand up and fight for Texans, especially working folks who have been screwed in this economy.”

Booker visited Texas to give the keynote speech at the inaugural KUT Festival put on by the city’s public radio station.

Speaking in front of the Lyndon B. Johnson Library, Booker lamented the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling earlier in the week that weakened the Voting Rights Act by creating a higher bar for challenging legislative districts for racial discrimination.

“This is very problematic and what we’re going to see now is more partisan gerrymandering, more squeezing out the voices of minorities in our country,” he said. “In a democracy, the power of the people is greater than the people in power—if they can vote. What’s twisted is when the people in power try to restrict the right to vote and restrict representation, and that’s what we have now.”

Booker said he’s concerned that states are racing to redraw their maps for the November elections to give them partisan advantages. But he remains confident Democrats can take back the U.S. House of Representatives.

He said Americans, regardless of party affiliation, need to make their voices heard in November to push back against politicians trying to draw political lines to their advantage.

“We really have to focus on this election and coming out and showing those people who want to subvert democracy that we’re going to actually beat you and overcome again, just like we did in the 1960s when LBJ signed the great Voting Rights Act,” he said.

Booker also said he has not made any decisions about another run for the presidency in 2028 and was focused on his reelection campaign for the Senate this year.

“It’s still something that I’ll think about  — putting my hat in to be that kind of leader  — but right now I’m focused on New Jersey and taking back the Senate and having people like Talarico win,” said Booker.