Before they met, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker and actress/activist Rosario Dawson were living separate lives and dating around. Cory had been linked to Hollywood entertainment lawyer Bianca Levin, Instagram poet Cleo Wade, and Gayle King, among others. Meanwhile, Rosario had relationships with Jay-Z, as well as actors Colin Farrell and Eric Andre. But her main focus was on raising her daughter Isabella, whom she adopted in 2014.
Despite never having been married and keeping his personal life private, Cory has faced questions from the media about his private life, which he finds intrusive. In a 2013 interview with The Washington Post, Cory responded to these inquiries, saying, “When people speculate about my sexuality, I see it as a chance to challenge biases against LGBTQ+ individuals.”
Back in 2017, rumors were flying that Cory had his sights set on the White House. It sparked a big debate about whether America was ready for an unmarried president. History buffs pointed out that Grover Cleveland tied the knot during his presidency in 1885, marrying Francis Folsom, who was just 21 at the time. On the flip side, James Buchanan, the 15th president, never married and had some interesting rumors swirling about his personal life.
“So, you could be the first unmarried president in over 130 years. Any chance we’ll see a White House wedding?”
“I… Well.”
“Do you think viewers would dig that? I’m starting to worry. Is this CNN or TMZ?”
Then in the summer of 2018, Cory met Rosario at a fundraiser. “We actually first met at that party, but she wasn’t having any of it.”
“Oh, not at all. She gave me the cold shoulder.”
“She’s denying it now.”
Talking to The Washington Post, Cory explained they weren’t in the same place in life back then, so nothing romantic sparked between them as he was seeing someone else at the time.
Fast forward to October 2018, and Cory and Rosario crossed paths again. He shared how they ended up chatting for hours that night, and when he asked for her contact info, she gave it to him. They started dating that very month.
But wait, there’s more! Around the same time he got Rosario’s number, Page Six dropped a bombshell: Cory was reportedly also seeing a woman named Shonda Gibson. Apparently, they’d known each other since his Newark mayoral campaign in 2002 and had been off-and-on for years. Cory preferred to keep that part of his life under wraps, but by December 2018, it was all about Rosario. They were spotted hitting up movies and catching Broadway shows together in the following months.
On February 1st, 2019, Cory Booker made headlines by announcing his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Just days later, in an interview with The Breakfast Club, he subtly hinted at a new romance, teasing, “I’m dating someone really special.”
The radio host joked about Cory’s love life, saying, “Oh yeah, Cory Booker’s got a boo, got it. You don’t read the blog, Charlamagne?”
Though he didn’t name her at first, Rosario Dawson later confirmed their relationship to TMZ in March 2019, describing Cory as a wonderful person. This surprised many, especially since just a year prior, Rosario had appeared to come out as LGBTQ in an Instagram post advocating strength and resilience in the face of challenges.
Questions arose about whether their relationship was genuine or strategically timed to enhance Cory’s image as a presidential candidate. A Politico journalist explored this in a 2019 essay, observing that traditional views still favor presidential candidates who embody conventional stability and responsibility.
To address any skepticism about their relationship, Cory started publicly acknowledging Rosario alongside his political ambitions. He evolved from playfully referring to her as his “boo” to openly praising her in People magazine, emphasizing how her caring nature had taught him to love more courageously. Months later, during an appearance on RuPaul’s talk show, Cory teased the idea of marriage, suggesting he might be married before taking office. He even jokingly asked Ellen DeGeneres if she would officiate their wedding.
Although Corey and Rosario frequently discussed their relationship in interviews, they were rarely seen together in public. By October 2019, their busy schedules began to clash. Corey was deep into debate preparations, while Rosario was balancing her fashion line, filming commitments, board responsibilities for a Latino voting rights organization, and taking care of her daughter.
In an interview with The Washington Post, Rosario mentioned how they tried to coordinate their travel plans to spend time together, often meeting at hotels near airports. Corey also spoke about their efforts, describing their brief moments together as magical adventures lasting just a few hours.
Despite their demanding schedules, Rosario managed to attend Corey’s October 2019 debate and planned to accompany him on the campaign trail the next month. They even discussed their desire to have children together. As they opened up about their relationship, Corey’s popularity in the polls saw an uptick. However, despite their efforts, Corey did not qualify for the sixth debate and eventually halted his campaign in January 2020.
“Did their election season wrap up neatly? Not quite. Despite facing extra challenges due to the pandemic, Rosario revealed to ET Online in April 2020 that she and Cory were quarantining apart. She needed to care for her father recovering from pancreatic cancer surgery, making it risky for her to reunite with Cory even by summer. After four months apart, Rosario eventually moved into Cory’s New Jersey home, sharing how much Cory enjoyed having her close during an October 2020 interview with Wendy Williams—it was his first time cohabiting with a woman at the age of 51.
Cory secured re-election to the New Jersey Senate in November 2020. As the holidays approached, speculation arose about the couple’s next steps in their relationship. Would there be a ring under the tree?
“Oh, I get what you’re asking.”
“No, not for me, no, but…”
Rosario accompanied Cory to the January 2021 inauguration. However, by November 2021, Marie Claire reported their split after three years together.
While other sources confirming the breakup were sought, Marie Claire remains the sole credible outlet to have reported it as of now. If their relationship has indeed ended, it might not be surprising—many felt the romance seemed somewhat forced from the start, wouldn’t you agree?”