Booker's departure leaves a nuclear energy gap in 2020 race

Sen. Cory Booker's exit from the 2020 White House race means the field is losing a nuclear advocate whose views clashed with some top contenders.

The big picture: The Washington Examiner's Abby Smith points out that Booker "didn’t hold back in his criticism of his Democratic counterparts skeptical of nuclear energy’s role in a low-carbon future."

• Her item cites Booker's comments in a September HuffPost interview that highlighted his differences with Bernie Sanders and to a lesser degree Elizabeth Warren.

What he said: "As much as we say the Republicans when it comes to climate change must listen to science, our party has the same obligation to listen to scientists," Booker said.

Go deeper:

• Cory Booker takes a swing at Democrats over nuclear power
• Is 80 years just a number? Maybe for America’s aging nuclear plants