TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – The high-profile mayor of New Jersey’s largest city said he is endorsing Senator Obama, Democrat of Illinois, for president.

Newark Mayor Cory A. Booker said he will officially announce his endorsement at a news conference with Mr. Obama on Monday, when the senator is scheduled to attend a town hall meeting with union members in Trenton, among other events.

“It’s time that we have a national leader that’s going to raise us around our highest common ideals and reminds us that we have more in common as a people that we do that divides us,” Mr. Booker told The Associated Press Saturday.

“I really believe that America’s destiny is going to be determined by us waking up to a larger common purpose. The best person, in my opinion, that represents that kind of prophetic leadership is Barack Obama,” Mr. Booker said.

Mr. Booker, who has been linked with Mr. Obama as part of a new generation of black leaders, said he will not only be endorsing Mr. Obama, but will also be a part of the campaign’s leadership in New Jersey.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been so excited about a candidate as I am with Barack Obama,” said Mr. Booker. “I feel very fortunate to be mayor of the largest city of the state. It’s important that I step up and work on the national level to ensure that we have a president that best represents New Jersey’s interests and Newark’s interests in particular.”

Mr. Booker, a former Rhodes Scholar and Yale Law School Graduate, said he met Mr. Obama through a mutual friend, Gayle King, who is Oprah Winfrey’s best friend and an editor of O, the Oprah Magazine.

“I’ve had two years to see him in a lot of different lights and he has a profoundly inspiring character and ideals, combined with a brilliant intellect that make him a truly great candidate,” Mr. Booker said.

Other Democratic leaders in the state have already thrown their support for different candidates, with Senate President Richard J. Codey endorsing John Edwards, the former Senator from North Carolina and Governor Corzine of New Jersey backing Senator Clinton pf New York.

Mr. Booker, who has spoken of his friendship with Mrs. Clinton and her husband, President Clinton, said the Democratic party has a number of quality candidates and that Mrs. Clinton is among them.

“I have a great deal of respect for her, but at this point my support lies with Obama because I think his qualities are what America needs to lead us forward,” he said.

Most polls have shown Mrs. Clinton with a healthy lead over Mr. Obama in New Jersey.

A Quinnipiac University poll taken from April 10 to 16 gave Mrs. Clinton a 38 percent to 16 percent lead over Mr. Obama, who visited Trenton in 2005 when he was helping Corzine campaign for governor and in 2006 when he helped Senator Menendez of New Jersey campaign for office.