Disgraced former Republican congressman George Santos has ignited fresh controversy by publicly questioning the sexuality of Democratic Senator Cory Booker, following Booker's recent marriage. Santos, who was expelled from the House of Representatives in 2023 and later jailed for fraud, made the remarks on social media platform X.
A Controversial Social Media Post
Santos's intervention came after Senator Booker, aged 56, announced his marriage to 38-year-old real estate investor Alexis Lewis. In a post on X, Santos drew a direct parallel to his own personal history. "I married my first wife before I came out of the closet and there is nothing wrong with that," Santos wrote. This implied that Booker, who has long faced speculation about his private life, might have followed a similar path.
The former politician, who in 2022 became the first openly gay non-incumbent Republican elected to the House, was expelled following a series of scandals and later convicted on fraud charges. His prison sentence was commuted by former President Donald Trump in October 2024. Santos was previously married to Brazilian national Uadla Viera Santos from 2012 until 2019, before publicly coming out as gay.
A Decade of Speculation and Political Attacks
Santos is far from the first to publicly question Booker's sexuality. Rumours have persistently followed the New Jersey senator since he rose to prominence as Mayor of Newark over a decade ago. During his successful 2013 Senate campaign, the then-single Booker faced repeated questioning about his sexual orientation.
At the time, he told The Washington Post he felt "great dismay" at not having settled down with a partner, but stated he did not mind the personal queries. "To people who think I'm gay, some part of me thinks it's wonderful," Booker said. "Because I want to challenge people on their homophobia... I hope you are not voting for me because you are making the presumption that I'm straight."
His Republican opponent in that 2013 race, Steve Lonegan, seized on the speculation. Lonegan, the former mayor of Bogota, New Jersey, criticised Booker's comments as "kind of weird" and referenced an interview where Booker expressed enjoyment of manicures and pedicures, calling them a "guilty pleasure."
"Maybe that helps to get him the gay vote, by acting ambiguous," Lonegan controversially stated, while contrasting Booker's beauty treatments with his own preference for Scotch and cigars. Booker condemned Lonegan's remarks as "unacceptable," "callous, bigoted disrespect," and went on to win the election by a significant margin.
Reactions and Lasting Implications
Senator Booker's office has not publicly responded to Santos's latest social media commentary. The episode highlights how personal lives, particularly regarding sexuality, continue to be weaponised in the political arena, despite societal progress.
The incident also underscores the complex and often contradictory nature of political attacks on identity. Santos, himself a gay man who experienced a fraught personal journey, has now deployed a similar line of speculation against a political figure from the opposing party. This move has refocused attention on the enduring, and often invasive, scrutiny faced by public figures regarding their private lives, and the political calculations that sometimes surround them.
