New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker announced his engagement to girlfriend Alexis Lewis this week, revealing he surprised her with a proposal in Hawaii.
Booker, 56, who sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, reignited speculation about a 2028 run earlier this year after delivering a record-setting, 25-hour Senate speech warning that the “country is in crisis.”
She thought we were going down just to have leis put over us. And we walked out and there was a hula dancer, a Hawaiian dancer, a Polynesian dancer, and a guy with a ukulele. And then after their second song, other performers came up and sang a song that’s really meaningful to her, that she told me since one of our early dates, that she wants at her wedding,” he recalled.
“And she was so overjoyed, dancing and singing along with the singers. And then she runs over to them and says, ‘Oh my god, this is the song that I wanted to be played at my wedding. Thank you so much.’ And then I interrupt her and said, ‘Honey, this is actually the song being performed at your engagement.’”
Booker said Lewis “blacked out” from the excitement and only realized what happened after he showed her pictures of himself on one knee.
Lewis is vice president of investments at Brasa Capital Management, a real estate investment firm. She previously worked as an economic development aide in the Los Angeles mayor’s office.
Booker, who has never been married, has long faced scrutiny over his personal life. During his first Senate run in 2013, after questions about his sexuality, he responded: “The question really should not be whether I’m gay or straight, the question should be why the heck are you asking the question in the first place? It doesn’t make a whit of difference at what kind of senator I’m going to be or not.”
His previous relationship with actress Rosario Dawson drew attention during his 2020 presidential campaign. Dawson congratulated the couple on Instagram, commenting: “Love Love! Congratulations you two!”
Booker, meanwhile, could soon be back in the political spotlight as Congress heads toward a budget showdown. He vowed to resist Republican-backed proposals, saying: “I can’t speak to other senators’ consideration, but I’m going to say it as loud as I can, as often as I can, this is a time to stand and fight. We should — I am not giving my vote away to Donald Trump on a budget that’s going to hurt people.”
“I’m telling folks, this is a crossroads,” he added. “I am standing and fighting against any kind of budget proposal that’s going to hurt Americans or hurt people in New Jersey. I believe there comes a time when everyone should stand up and fight for what’s right, and that’s what I intend to do.”
