U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris’ entry into the 2020 presidential race was immediately met with controversy.
From her record as California’s attorney general to concerns about her electability, the campaign trail for the senator was fraught with obstacles and eventually unraveled, with the December 3 suspension of her campaign. Among frenzied media reports, as journalists struggled to keep track of an enormous pool of Democratic candidates, a lone Harris supporter seemed to commemorate the parting moment most eloquently: her husband.
In a picture posted to his Instagram, Doug Emhoff writes: “I’ve got you @kamalaharris. As always.” Undeniably, Emhoff had been by the senator’s side every step of the way.
Here are six things to know about Harris’ hubby and biggest fan:
1. He helped remove a protestor from the stage.
Things got heated at one stop on the campaign trail last summer when an animal rights activist stormed the San Francisco stage where Harris was speaking. Finding a voice in Politico following his removal, the protestor explained that taking the mic directly from Harris’ hand was his last resort, as all other attempts at getting into contact with the campaign failed. His attempt to hijack the senator’s stage was indeed his last resort, as he was swiftly removed by security, with a little help from Harris’ hubby.
2. He’s a lawyer.
When he’s not moonlighting as security for his wife, the Brooklyn native works as an entertainment lawyer for DLA Piper law firm. Working as a partner at the firm, Emhoff has defended major corporations, saving advertising agency TBWA from footing a $42 million bill after the misuse of the popular Taco Bell mascot, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
3. He's a great hype man.
Emhoff was visibly devout to his potential “First Husband” role, making regular appearances with Harris on the campaign trail and posting his support to social media. Still, even when the senator’s biggest supporter wasn’t by her side, he could be seen, always the marketing man, sporting her campaign swag.
4. His kids call Harris "Momala."
Although the couple have no children together, Emhoff entered the marriage with two adult children: Ella, 19, and Cole, 24. Harris, herself the product of divorced parents, told the Washington Examiner that she was cautious about meeting the pair, initially, out of fear of disappointing them, should the couple part ways. On the contrary, however, Harris goes on to explain that the two ended up sealing the deal for her and Emhoff: they “reeled me in.” A little over a year after their first date, the couple tied the knot, cementing the kids’ affectionate nickname for their stepmom: “Momala.”
5. They met on a blind date.
The husband and father of two can be seen posing on social media with a friend to Harris, Chrisette Hudlin. Below the photo, he writes, “actually, she introduced me to Kamala,” crediting her for the union that would come later. The corporate lawyer teased The Hollywood Reporter, reminding that all further details can be found in Harris' book, The Truths We Hold. The two only dated for about a year before getting engaged, according to reports. While Emhoff’s marriage to the mother of his children ended in divorce, the union was Harris’ first marriage.
6. He married Harris at the courthouse.
According to The Sacramento Bee, the couple married at a Santa Barbara courthouse in August 2014, with Harris’s sister, Maya, officiating. The union brought together a medley of cultures, as Harris was born to an Indian mother and Jamaican father, while Emhoff is Jewish. Naturally, the brief ceremony paid homage to the ethnically rich union, with the couple breaking a glass in step with Jewish tradition, India West reports.
