A US politician who sparked a row in Bermuda when he was refused permission to speak at a senior school has won a landslide victory to become mayor of Newark, New Jersey.

Cory Booker, who came to the Island in November 2004 to help the United Bermuda Party (UBP) celebrate its 40th anniversary, received 72 percent of the vote in a four-way race, beating his closest rival by 48 percentage points.

Mr. Booker, a Rhodes scholar from New Jersey, spoke on the Shirley Dill show and at St. Paul AME Centennial Church Hall during his visit here, telling Bermudians to embrace diversity and celebrate differences: ?If you want carrots, you?ve got to plant carrots,? he said.

The lawyer was also due to speak at CedarBridge Academy but the Ministry of Education refused to allow him to because a request in writing had not been made to the Chief Education Officer.

The Ministry later failed to respond to a request to make public letters asking for permission for political figures Jennifer Smith and Walter Roban to speak at Spice Valley Middle School.

Mr. Booker, a 37-year-old Democrat, is the son of civil rights activists. He moved to Brick Towers, a notorious public housing project in Newark?s Central Ward, in 1998 to help tenants fight for improved conditions.

He previously ran for mayor in Newark in 2002, when he lost out to long-time mayor Sharpe James.

Deputy UBP leader Michael Dunkley said the party congratulated Mr. Booker on his win. ?He is somebody that we have admired for his spirit within the community and we have developed a relationship.

?A couple of years back when he was here we thought he would only move on to bigger and more responsible positions. We are always ready to have him back in Bermuda with open arms.?