A victory for Vice President Kamala Harris in the November U.S. presidential election would not only make her the first female president in American history, but also introduce the nation to its first-ever "first gentleman" in the White House. Additionally, it would be the first time a presidential couple includes a Jew.
Douglas (Doug) Emhoff, 59, like his wife, has become a popular figure over the past three and a half years. His natural charm, unwavering support for his wife and conscious decision not to overshadow her have garnered him much admiration. Additionally, he has built a small "portfolio" centered around his Jewish identity.
When Harris arrived at the campaign headquarters in Delaware for her first appearance following Sunday's drama as President Joe Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, Emhoff was the one who introduced her. The man who has redefined familiar gender stereotypes at the pinnacle of American politics told the crowd, "Now I have the opportunity to support my wife, Kamala Harris, the candidate for president of the United States."
Emhoff was born in Brooklyn and grew up in New Jersey before his family moved to California during his teenage years. He studied law and became a highly sought-after attorney in the Los Angeles entertainment industry.
He was a partner at a large law firm, which he left in 2020 when Harris was running as Joe Biden's vice president to avoid conflicts of interest. He has spoken openly about the difficulty of leaving the job he loved to support Harris's political aspirations. On Monday, he thanked Joe Biden for helping him during moments of professional frustration.
"The president would come up to me," Emhoff recounted emotionally, "and say, 'Look, I know, kid, you're a great lawyer. I know it must be hard, but there's no better way to leave a job than to support your wife, whom you love so much, in a country you both love so much.'"
The love story of Harris and Emhoff began in 2013 when a close friend of Harris gave Emhoff her phone number and suggested he call. He left a voicemail that was too long and was sure she wouldn’t call back. But Harris, who was then living in San Francisco and serving as California's attorney general, was intrigued and flew to Los Angeles for their first date. The morning after, Emhoff wrote to her, "I'm too old to play games. I really like you and want to see if we can make this work." Apparently, it did, and the two married in 2014.
This is Emhoff's second marriage, into which he brought two teenage children who quickly formed a good bond with Harris and call her "Momala," a term that sounds similar to the Yiddish word for mother. Emhoff is a progressive and secular American Jew who is very proud of his Jewish identity, and the extended family celebrates Rosh Hashanah and Passover with great public display. Harris, an enthusiast in the kitchen, once said that her great aspiration is to make the perfect Kneidlach.
During his years in the White House, Emhoff placed the fight against antisemitism high on his priorities. Even before October 7, he initiated a gathering of Jewish leaders at the White House and helped direct the administration's efforts in combating antisemitism. He received a mandate to work with Congress on the issue and also had the freedom to speak out on it. When Donald Trump met with one of America's most notorious antisemites, Nick Fuentes, Emhoff was the one who responded on behalf of the administration.
After October 7, Emhoff became even more active in mobilizing support within the American Jewish community. This was despite Harris becoming increasingly critical of Israel over time, and when Emhoff returns home, he is met by his daughter, Ella, who is pro-Palestinian and until a few months ago raised funds for UNRWA through her Instagram account. She later removed the link from her profile, and Emhoff hopes the issue won't resurface during his wife's campaign, as she aspires to become the first female president in U.S. history.