Sen. Cory Booker is the only bachelor currently running for president, but he’s not single.
The New Jersey Democrat confirmed he has a girlfriend during an appearance Tuesday on “The Breakfast Club” radio show.
As the hosts asked Booker whether his personal life would impact his odds of winning the White House, one of the show’s hosts, Charlamagne tha God, noted that Booker might want to hold off on settling down.
“You don’t want to marry somebody now,” Charlamagne said. “Once you start getting hot, you might become president? She might just want you for that.”
Booker laughed, “No, before I declared president, I’m dating somebody really special.”
“Oh! So Cory Booker got a boo?” Charlamagne asked.
“I, I got a boo,” Booker laughed sheepishly.
Co-host Angela Yee was less surprised. “You must not read the blogs, Charlamagne,” she said. “It is on the blogs.”
Booker is widely rumored to be dating actress Rosario Dawson, although neither Booker nor Dawson has confirmed the relationship.
Before Booker announced his candidacy, Business Insider winked at their status in an interview with Dawson, asking whether she hoped Booker would run.
“I don’t know … (pauses) um … how to respond to that (laughs). I do,” she said, adding that Booker would “(bring) a lot of grace, and intelligence, and experience” to the race.”
Although Dawson wasn’t mentioned by name in Booker’s interview, Charlamagne asked him whether his girlfriend would make a “nice first lady.” Booker and Yee agreed that she would.
Then discussion veered into even more uncomfortable territory for Booker.
“So, whoever this special someone is, is someone you may marry one day?” Charlamagne asked.
“Please, what have we gotten myself into right now, man!” Booker said. “All the issues we’ve talked about, this is the most uncomfortable part of this interview.”
If he were to win, Booker would be only the third bachelor elected to the White House, after Grover Cleveland and James Buchanan. Cleveland ultimately got married during his presidency.
Booker maintains that being unmarried won’t hurt his chances, however.
“If Donald Trump can get elected with the personal life that he has?” Booker said Tuesday. “Then anybody can.”
Plus, Booker added, “there’s two more years. Give me some time.”