CHICAGO — Second gentleman Doug Emhoff championed his wife, Vice President Kamala Harris , during his Tuesday night speech at the Democratic National Convention, saying marrying her was "the best decision I ever made."
Emhoff's speech at the DNC comes as Harris is scheduled to accept the Democratic nomination Thursday evening — the same day as the couple's 10-year wedding anniversary .
“I love you and I’m so proud of how you’re stepping up for all of us. That’s who she is. Whenever she’s needed, however she’s needed, Kamala rises to the occasion," Emhoff said. "She did it for me and our family. Now that the country needs her, she’s showing you what we already know: She’s ready to lead, she brings both joy and toughness to this task, and she will be a great president who we will all be proud of.”
Emhoff, the first Jewish spouse of a president or vice president who was introduced by his son, Cole, has been a steady figure during Harris's tenure as vice president, often serving as a surrogate for the Biden administration to combat antisemitism and reach out to the Jewish community.
Now, with Harris having been catapulted to the top of the ticket, Emhoff has sought to personalize his wife through his personal testimony and social media presence, including about how the first met and quipped about her laugh.
"Kamala is a joyful warrior. It's doing for her country what she has always done for the people she loves. Her passion will benefit all of us when she's our president," Emhoff said Tuesday, making a passionate appeal on Harris's behalf.
Emhoff shared personal tales of his first awkward message left on Harris's voicemail and how she blended into his children's lives as "Momala."
"America, in this election, you have to decide who to trust with your family’s future," he later said. "I trusted Kamala with our family’s future. It was the best decision I ever made.”
Emhoff's Jewish identity has also provided Harris with political cover to criticize Israel for its conduct during the war in Gaza , an issue that has divided Democrats since Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks against the Jewish state.
That political cover appears to cracking, however, with Harris becoming the party's standard-bearer. The "Abandon Biden" movement, which sought to put pressure on President Joe Biden for his handling of the war in Gaza rebranded to "Abandon Harris" on Monday. And chants of “Killer Kamala” could be heard at a gathering at Union Park on Monday in a replacement of the moniker “Genocide Joe" protesters had used against Biden on multiple occasions.
Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters have descended on Chicago as the party’s top members and delegates gather for the DNC.
"Kamala has connected me more deeply with my faith," Emhoff said, adding she "makes a mean brisket for Passover."
Northeastern University political science professor Costas Panagopoulos told the Washington Examiner that he expects Emhoff will likely be "deployed strategically as a surrogate and as a champion for his wife on the campaign trail" as he is able to bring "a personal touch that allows voters to get a sense of who Harris is as a person, which can be important for some voters."
Panagopoulos did note, however, that Emhoff has "largely stayed out of the political fray in terms of policy."
To that end, Harris campaign spokesman Seth Schuster told the Washington Examiner that Emhoff has "been crisscrossing the country, talking to voters at big and small events alike."
"The biggest supporter of the vice president both on and off the trail, he will be a vigorous and active campaigner, speaking directly to our coalition about the issues they care most about and mobilizing the voters who will decide this election to ensure that Vice President Harris becomes President Harris," Schuster said.
However, when reports emerged earlier this month that Emhoff's first marriage broke down, in part, because he had an affair with a teacher of one of his two children with his first wife, Kerstin, Republican strategist John Feehery asserted Emhoff would not be a political asset.
"Not anymore," Feehery told the Washington Examiner.
But Emhoff's prime-time speaking slot on the second night of the DNC appears to signal that Democrats, and Harris's campaign, are confident Emhoff is an effective messenger for her campaign.
Emhoff has also served as a surrogate for other key issues for the Democratic party, such as gun violence, mental health, and nutrition.
First lady historian Andrew Och, nicknamed the "First Ladies Man," contended Emhoff has taken on "some real, real causes."
"He's doing things for gay pride month, he's doing things for Veterans Day, doing things for Father's Day, so he's out and he's celebrating all these, these events, and promoting these, you know, health initiatives and things like that," Och told the Washington Examiner.
Kate Andersen Brower, who has written extensively about the White House and first families, said Emhoff has been careful not to overshadow Harris.
"Emhoff is sending a powerful message in that he’s not seeking to distract from his wife in any way," Andersen Brower told the Washington Examiner. "He’s trying to support her. In some ways, being the first second gentleman is a challenge because it’s important that he show his support and real contentment with giving up his big career and working to help her get her message across. It’s a cultural message to men everywhere that there is dignity in being a supportive spouse. Being the silent partner can be the hardest assignment of all."
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Republican National Convention spokeswoman Rachel Reisner dismissed Emhoff's effectiveness as a surrogate, telling the Washington Examiner that "no surrogate can hide the reality that the Harris-Walz agenda is one American voters cannot afford: literally."
She continued, "Dangerously liberal voices will only confirm what voters know: President Trump and J.D. Vance will lower taxes, secure the border, and prioritize American families; Harris and Walz will make every American less wealthy and less safe."
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