‘I went through tough times on account of my actions,’ America’s prospective ‘First Gentleman’ reveals
Kamala Harris’s husband admitted to an affair during his previous marriage following reports that he embarked on a relationship with his children’s nanny.
Doug Emhoff said he had caused his family “some tough times” after being unfaithful to his first wife, Kerstin.
The 59-year-old made the admission amid media scrutiny after Ms Harris entered the presidential race.
If she beats Donald Trump in November, he would become the first US “First Gentleman”.
“During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions,” Mr Emhoff said, in a statement to CNN.
“I took responsibility, and in the years since, we worked through things as a family and have come out stronger on the other side.”
It comes after the Daily Mail reported that Mr Emhoff’s marriage to Kerstin fell apart when he got their daughter’s nanny pregnant – an allegation he did not comment on.
Ms Emhoff is said to have ended their 16-year marriage when she learned of the affair in 2009, while their daughter, Ella, was 10, and son, Cole, was 15.
The woman is reported to have become pregnant and, according to a close friend, “did not keep the child”.
The extramarital relationship took place years before he met Ms Harris, and he is said to have told her about the affair well before they married in 2014.
Brian Fallon, a spokesman for the Harris campaign, told CNN that he would not comment beyond the initial statement that had been released.
Nevertheless, Ms Emhoff has been a supporter of her former husband and the vice-president.
When JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, characterised Ms Harris as a “childless cat lady”, Ms Emhoff said she had been a “co-parent” of their children.
She did not comment directly on the affair on Saturday, saying: “Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago.
“He is a great father to our kids, continues to be a great friend to me and I am really proud of the warm and supportive blended family Doug, Kamala, and I have built together.”
Joe Biden’s campaign is said to have learnt of the affair four years ago while vetting candidates for his running mate – which ultimately ended with him selecting Ms Harris.
The news comes as the vetting process for Ms Harris’s own running mate concludes, with the vice-president meeting with hopefuls on Sunday for a final “chemistry test” before an announcement next week.
Josh Shapiro and Tim Walz, the Pennsylvania and Minnesota governors, and Mark Kelly, the Arizona senator, were all expected to meet with her on Sunday, following an examination of their personal and political lives by a Washington-based law firm.
They were scheduled to talk with Ms Harris at her residence at Washington DC’s Naval Observatory, several sources told The New York Times.
It was unclear whether Pete Buttigieg, the transport secretary, and Andy Beshear, the Kentucky governor, who are also on the shortlist but seen as less likely picks, would join her.
Ms Harris is expected to put considerable stock in the face-to-face meeting, with aides saying that she would prioritise a personal rapport with whoever she picks as the vice presidential nominee.
That could favour Mr Shapiro, whom she has known for almost two decades after both were tapped as rising political stars in 2006.
However, some have voiced disquiet about the Pennsylvania governor joining the ticket.
Some fear that, as an outspoken supporter of Israel, he could isolate Muslim and Arab American voters in key states such as Michigan.
John Fetterman, the Pennsylvania senator, has lobbied against Mr Shapiro’s selection, according to Politico, with his advisers telling the Harris team that he is too focused on his personal ambitions.
The governor has had a meteoric rise in recent years, running to become Pennsylvania’s attorney general in his first term as a county commissioner, before leaving early in his second term when he was elected governor.
“He hasn’t even been in office two years and he’s looking to run for another office,” Charlie Gerow, a Pennsylvania-based Republican strategist, told The Telegraph on Sunday. “Kamala might want to take a look over her shoulder.”
