By Eric Bradner, Morgan Rimmer, CNN

(CNN) — New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker announced his engagement to girlfriend Alexis Lewis this week, telling reporters he’d surprised her with a proposal in Hawaii.

Booker, 56, sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020 — and his record-setting, 25-hour Senate speech warning that the “country is in crisis” earlier this year sparked talk of another potential presidential run in 2028.

Booker told reporters Tuesday that he and Lewis were in Kauai, Hawaii, and that one of his friends told Lewis that they wanted to surprise Booker with a “traditional Hawaiian greeting.”

“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 said.

“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 added, “She said that that’s when she blacked out. I had to show her pictures of me on my knees to tell her I got on a knee.”

Lewis is a vice president of investments at Brasa Capital Management, a real estate investment firm, according to the company’s website. She previously worked as an economic development aide in the Los Angeles mayor’s office.

Booker has never been married, and his personal life has long been the subject of scrutiny. During his first Senate run in 2013, the then-Newark mayor responded to his opponent’s insinuations that he might be gay by saying he had affirmed his sexual orientation many times, but also arguing that it did not matter.

“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,” Booker said in a 2013 interview with MSNBC’s Chris Hayes.

During his run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Booker’s relationship with actress Rosario Dawson was in the news. The two split several years later, and social media commenters responded to the news of his engagement Tuesday by comparing Lewis’ looks with Dawson.

“Love Love! Congratulations you two!” Dawson commented on Booker’s engagement announcement on Instagram.

Booker could soon be in the spotlight in Washington, where he vowed to “stand and fight” during this month’s upcoming budget battle, as the clock ticks down toward a government shutdown.

“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. This is a time to draw a line. We should — I am not giving my vote away to Donald Trump on a budget that’s going to hurt people,” Booker said.

“I’m telling folks, this is a crossroads,” he said. “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.”

The-CNN-Wire
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