Who is Kamala Harris’ husband? The man who could become the United States’ earliest First Jewish Gentleman, explained

A Kamala Harris presidency would be historical for many reasons, including installing her husband Doug Emhoff as the inaugural first gentleman of the United States of America. 

Emhoff is no stranger to White House firsts; as the first and current second gentleman, he is the first Jewish spouse of an American president or vice president. Now that Harris is poised to run against Donald Trump for the presidency this November, Emhoff will be a part of history once again if Harris wins.

After Biden endorsed Harris for president, the spotlight has been on the current vice president and her family. Here’s what you need to know about America’s potentially first First Gentleman, Doug Emhoff. 

Who is Doug Emhoff?

Emhoff was born on Oct. 13, 1964 in Brooklyn, NY. He was raised in New Jersey alongside his two siblings before he and his family moved to Southern California when he was 17. After graduating from Agoura Hills High School, he earned a bachelor’s in Communication Studies from California State University, Northridge in 1987. In 1990, he graduated from USC Gould School of Law with a Juris Doctor.

For the last three decades, Emhoff has been practicing law as an entertainment lawyer, both at major law firms and at his own firm. His firm was acquired by Venable in 2006, where he became managing director of the law firm’s West Coast expansion. While at Venable, Emhoff notably won a case representing none other than the Taco Bell chihuahua in 2009.

Emhoff married film producer Kerstin Emhoff in 1992. The couple have two children together, Cole and Ella, who are named after jazz musicians John Coltrane and Ella Fitzgerald. They divorced in 2008 after 16 years of marriage. Emhoff went on a blind date with Harris in 2013 and the two married in 2014.

In 2017, Emhoff began work at DLA Piper as a partner but permanently left the firm after Biden won the presidency in 2020. According to his White House profile, Emhoff joined the Georgetown University Law Center and began teaching law in January 2021.

As second gentleman, Emhoff has led delegations to the inaugurations of South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol and Philippine President Bongbong Marcos. He has been an advocate for causes such as access to legal aid, reproductive rights, and universal family leave. Additionally, Emhoff has been outspoken about fighting the rise of antisemitism and promoting religious tolerance in the U.S.