Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, poised to break stereotypes
Ina Biden White House, the first lady wants to keep her job teaching and the second gentleman plans to quit his law firm to support the vice president’s career.
When it comes to political marriages, we’ve reached a new moment.
Doug Emhoff, the 56-yearold husband of likely Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, will leave his private law practice by Inauguration Day to focus on his role at the White House, a spokesperson said Tuesday. He’s said little so far about how he’ll approach the role and is still working with the transition team on what issues he’ll tackle.
“We’ve been waiting for this sort of gender switch for decades now,” said Kim Nalder, a professor of political science who has focused on women and gender at California State University-Sacramento. She added, “There is a lot of symbolism from a man stepping back from his high-powered career in order to support his wife’s career.”
Emhoff ’s decision to cut ties with DLA Piper also offered an early test of how a Biden administration would avoid potential ethical issues. While Emhoff is not a lobbyist, the firm has a large presence lobbying the federal government on behalf of clients including Comcast, Raytheon and the government of Puerto Rico. He took a leave of absence from the firm in August when Biden chose Harris, a U.S. senator from California, as his running mate.
While Emhoff built a career as a high-profile entertainment lawyer in Southern California, he’s been most visible to voters as Harris’ supportive husband. He quickly befriended other political spouses in the Democratic primary, when Harris sought the party’s nomination.
Emhoff embraced his role as a political surrogate during the campaign. He will be the first Jewish spouse of a president or a vice president, and he was a prominent liaison to Jewish groups and donors.
He also developed a close friendship with Jill Biden, a former second lady, and the two campaigned together frequently. Jill Biden has said she wants to keep teaching at a community college, as she did when Joe Biden was the vice president.
Harris on Monday tweeted a photo of herself and Emhoff smiling on the night Biden was announced the winner.
“Meet the love of my life,” she told her 11 million followers.
It was Emhoff who filmed a video of Harris calling Biden after news of their win, which she shared on social media.
Harris and Emhoff met in 2013 and married a year later. It was Harris’ first marriage and Emhoff ’s second; his children are in their 20s and call Harris “Momala,” a play on her name and a Yiddish word for “little mother.”