Gov. Charlie Crist is engaged to marry his girlfriend of about nine months, New York socialite and novelty business owner Carole Rome.

Crist popped the question to Rome Thursday morning at his condo in St. Petersburg, and the two went out to celebrate with a romantic dinner in St. Petersburg Thursday night, friends said.

The engagement comes at what could be a propitious time for Crist.

He’s been widely speculated on as a potential running mate for GOP presidential candidate John McCain. One obstacle to that, however, is his bachelor status. Crist has been campaigning for McCain around the country and recently took Rome with him to visit McCain at his ranch in Arizona, an event at which McCain was thought to be getting to know potential running mates.

In an interview, Crist said the two don’t have firm plans for the wedding, but that it probably will take place in the fall at his church in St. Petersburg, First United Methodist.

“We’ll probably have an event of some kind at the [governor’s] mansion later,” he added.

“It’s a very big day for me,” said Crist. “I’m excited. I think she is too.”

In the afternoon, the couple went to visit his parents in St. Petersburg.

“They’re ecstatic – they’re very happy for us,” Crist said.

Crist said the couple “probably will be based in St. Petersburg” after their marriage. Crist often spends weekends there, and said he and Rome planned to spend their holiday weekend there.

Rome, 38, is a New York socialite who recently located to the exclusive Fisher Island neighborhood near Miami.

She’s president of her family’s business, Franco American Novelty Co. LLC, which specializes in Halloween costumes, but according to the company’s web site, a sister has taken over running the business while Rome acts as a consultant.

She was divorced earlier this year from Todd Rome, head of a private jet charter service.

Rome is one of several women Crist has been reported to be linked to romantically or socially since he became governor, but the first he has talked about publicly as a serious romantic interest.

She will accompany him on a trade mission to Europe leaving from Miami July 12 for 12 days.

Crist, 51, has been single since his divorce after a brief marriage in 1980. He said he was engaged one other time a few years later, but that did not result in marriage.

Rome’s family business was founded by her grandfather and made very successful by her father, Bob Oumano, who died in 2000, according to a former employee, Scott Altman of New York, who knew the family.

Altman is the brother of Tampa Tribune editor Howard Altman.

Altman said Rome and her mother next took over management of the company. Her father, Bob Oumano, died in 2000.

“She’s a very smart woman, a good business woman, who helped keep the company alive after her father died,” he said.

Altman said the company popularized the Whoopee Cushion. “It was a fun company to work for,” he said. “Everything they sold either exploded or shocked you.”

Rome, whose mother died recently, has two brothers and two sisters, and two daughters, ages 9 and 11, Crist said.

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