WASHINGTON(BN24) — U.S. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey has announced his engagement to Alexis Lewis, his longtime girlfriend, following a romantic surprise proposal during a trip to Hawaii. The engagement comes as Booker, 56, faces renewed speculation over a possible 2028 presidential run.
Booker, who previously sought the Democratic nomination in 2020, shared the details of the proposal this week, describing how he surprised Lewis during a musical performance on the island. “She was dancing and singing with the performers, and then she runs over to them and says, ‘Oh my god, this is the song I wanted at my wedding,’” Booker recalled. “Then I told her, ‘Honey, this is actually the song being performed at your engagement.’”
According to Booker, Lewis was so overwhelmed she “blacked out” from the moment, only fully realizing what had happened after he showed her a photo of himself down on one knee.
Lewis is the vice president of investments at Brasa Capital Management, a real estate investment firm. She previously worked in public service as an economic development aide for the mayor’s office in Los Angeles. This is the first marriage for Booker, who has often been the subject of media scrutiny over his personal life throughout his political career.
During his initial 2013 Senate campaign, questions about his private life prompted Booker to push back forcefully. “The question really should not be whether I’m gay or straight,” he said at the time. “The question should be why the heck are you asking the question in the first place? It doesn’t make a whit of difference to what kind of senator I’m going to be.”
Booker’s past relationship with actress Rosario Dawson made headlines during his 2020 presidential bid. Dawson offered her congratulations to the couple on social media, commenting on Instagram: “Love Love! Congratulations you two!”
The engagement adds a personal milestone to a period of heightened political activity for Booker, who reignited talk of a 2028 presidential campaign earlier this year after delivering a record-breaking 25-hour Senate speech warning that the “country is in crisis.” The extended address, in which he passionately criticized the state of national politics, sparked fresh interest in his future on the national stage.
Booker is once again positioning himself as a leading progressive voice in Congress, particularly as lawmakers brace for a potential budget showdown. He vowed this week to resist Republican-led proposals tied to former President Donald Trump’s agenda. “I’m not giving my vote away to Donald Trump on a budget that’s going to hurt people,” Booker said. “I am standing and fighting against any kind of budget proposal that’s going to hurt Americans or hurt people in New Jersey.”
Framing the current political climate as a turning point, Booker added: “This is a crossroads. 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.”
As Booker steps back into the spotlight, both politically and personally, the engagement has drawn national attention, blending the private joy of a major life event with the public momentum of a potential return to the presidential arena.
