Those close to Newark Mayor Cory Booker telegraphed to the Wall Street Journal Tuesday that the Democrat will run for Senate in 2014, rather than challenge Republican Gov. Chris Christie in 2013.

Democratic Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg currently stands in Booker’s way, and the 88-year-old has given zero indication that he plans to retire and clear the way for the popular mayor. Lautenberg was one of the few members to come out forcefully for gun control in the hours after the Dec. 14 shootings in Connecticut.

That means that as it stands, Booker is challenging an active, albeit elderly, incumbent from his own party. Democratic Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., is also said to be eyeing a Senate run in 2014.

Many political handicappers believe that Booker has a better shot at the governor’s mansion. Christie has seen his favorable ratings increase over his handling of Superstorm Sandy, but Democrats maintain that he is beatable.

Booker has made the television rounds over the past 10 days or so. On Dec. 9, he told CBS’ Bob Scheiffer that he would make a decision on a run for governor within two weeks. That window is closing in a few days, so a decision is probably imminent.

Here are the most interesting recent articles about Booker:

• Politicker NJ, one of the leading Garden State political blogs, noted Tuesday afternoon that a Booker aide registered web domain names in 2010 for both a Senate and gubernatorial race.
• The New York Times published a scathing page one profile on Booker Dec. 14. It largely went under the radar because of the shootings in Connecticut.
• Booker responded to the story on Monday, telling The Huffington Post that it is “factually wrong.”