When you think of a filibuster, you might imagine a senator standing at the podium, talking for hours just to delay a vote. It is not always glamorous – sometimes it is barely noticed. But when Senator Cory Booker took to the Senate floor for his record-breaking speech, he turned what could have been another procedural moment into a powerful message about democracy.
On April 1, 2025, Senator Booker, who has represented New Jersey in the U.S. Senate since 2013, spoke for 25 hours and 5 minutes, setting a record for the longest speech in Senate history.
The scene had all the markings of a classic Senate moment: one senator standing at the podium, speaking through the night and into the next day. While long speeches in the Senate aren’t unheard of, Booker’s extended remarks drew attention because of the timing and the topic.
What was the topic? Booker was speaking out against a controversial voting rights bill that, according to critics, would restrict access to the ballot in several key states. His speech, in that context, was seen as a way to spotlight the national conversation around election access and the role of federal oversight in voting procedures.
“I’m not here just to run out the clock,” Booker said early in the speech. “I’m here because the clock is running out on too many Americans’ right to vote.”
Booker’s delivery varied throughout the speech. At some points, he spoke with emphasis and energy; at others, his tone was more reflective and steady. The format allowed him to address both the specifics of the bill and broader themes in a way that could reach a wide audience. Whether following along in the Senate or watching from home, listeners were presented with a mix of the law-making process and broader commentary on civic participation.
He quoted everyone from Martin Luther King Jr. to Toni Morrison to his constituents in Newark. And rather than just railing against the bill, he offered a vision of what inclusive democracy should look like: accessible, fair and resilient.
Sure, a long speech is one thing, but what made this moment stand out was the reaction it sparked.
For starters, the speech went viral. Clips flooded social media, especially when Booker, well past the 20-hour mark, quoted Maya Angelou’s “Still I Rise” while visibly exhausted. People across the country (and across the political spectrum) were moved by the determination he showed. Whether or not folks agreed with his position, many admired his willingness to go the distance.
Perhaps most importantly, Booker’s marathon session reignited conversations within the Democratic Party about using every tool available to protect democratic processes. Some progressive lawmakers cited his speech as evidence that passion and persistence can still move the needle, even in a deeply polarized Senate.
So far, the speech hasn’t changed the outcome of the bill — it passed the Senate along party lines just a few days later. But that doesn’t mean the speech didn’t matter. It’s being remembered less for the immediate legislative outcome and more for the cultural and political signal it sent.
Several political analysts have compared it to past landmark speeches, like Bernie Sanders’ 2010 filibuster on tax cuts or Wendy Davis’ 2013 stand-in at Texas on abortion rights. These moments didn’t necessarily stop laws from passing, but they reshaped public discourse and left a lasting impression.
Booker said he didn’t plan to speak that long, but once he started receiving messages from high school students, civil rights leaders, and even fellow senators, he felt a responsibility to keep going.
“It wasn’t just my voice anymore,” he said in a post-speech interview. “It was a chorus.”
Cory Booker’s record-breaking speech was more than just a long-winded Senate moment; it was a political performance with grit and a clear message. It reminded people what a senator can do with a microphone and a mission.