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Cory Booker Grateful After Re-Election Win

HARRINGTON PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork) --- Visiting his former elementary school, Harrington Park Elementary, just hours after his re-election victory, Sen. Cory Booker said Wednesday he feels thankful that his full-time job is working to help people.

"Today I'm overflowing with gratitude towards New Jersey," Booker told 1010 WINS' Rebecca Granet.

Booker said he received a call from President Barack Obama on Tuesday night after the former Newark mayor defeated Republican challenger Jeff Bell, 56 percent to 42 percent (with 96 percent of precincts reporting).

Cory Booker Grateful After Re-Election Win

"I heard from him (Obama) last night to congratulate me, and then I was happy to see him shift right away to 'Hey, let's start talking about what we can get done,'" Booker said.

Booker said he knows what he wants to accomplish.

"Whatever it takes, my goal for the next six years is to help this economy start to thrive again," Booker said.

Cory Booker Grateful After Re-Election Win

"Regardless of who has a majority, it's hard to get anything done down ther without pulling people together. You need 60 votes to get most things done these days," he told WCBS 880's Levon Putney.

One project he still hopes will get done is a new rail tunnel under the Hudson. Booker says the infrastructure upgrades are needed to compete with other countries.

"If you really want America to grow and be more robust economically, whether you're Republican or Democrat, you know we've got to start investing," he said.

But first, "the biggest recreational activity I'm looking forward to doing is sleeping," the senator said with a laugh.

Booker said he'll have dinner with his family Wednesday night and then get back to work.

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