Who is Doug Imhoff, husband of Kamala Harris and America’s first gentleman

Kamala Harris became the first woman and the first black person to reach the position of Vice President of the United States on Wednesday, but she is not the only one to break centuries of tradition.

Her husband, Douglas ImhofKnown as “Doug,” he also broke cultural barriers by being the first man to occupy a place until now only occupied by women.

The role of the “second lady”, as the vice-presidents’ associates have so far been told, is so tied to the female gender that until Imhoff’s arrival there was not even a male version of the term.

After a period of speculation it was decided to adopt a title “The second man.”

Emhoff already has his own Twitter account with that name: SecondGentleman added more than 800k followers even before the vice president’s husband posted his first tweet.

but this 56 years old lawyer – Same age as his wife – not only different from the previous second ladies in being a man.

While most vice-presidents’ wives have spent their lives accompanying their political husbands, Imhoff hardly Seven Years of experience In this field.

And that was just over seven years ago, in 2013, when Imhoff met Harris on a blind date coordinated by her best friend.

At that time Harris was he The California Attorney General And he had a law firm specializing in corporate law.

A year after meeting, In August 2014, they got married.

“Momala”

Unlike her, who had never been married and had no children, Imhoff had divorced six years earlier from his first wife, film producer Kristen Imhoff, with whom he had two children. Two children Teens at the time.

In an article she wrote for Elle in 2019, Harris described the special relationship she had from the start with her husband’s children.

He wrote, “Cole and Ella couldn’t be more welcoming.” “They are bright, talented, and fun children who have grown into exceptional adults.”

Harris even said that it was her excellent relationship with them that led her to decide to marry Imhoff.

She said, “I was really addicted to Doug, but I think Cole and Ella were the ones that totally connected me.”

It also revealed Her stepchildren call her “Momala”.Because the phrase “stepmother” did not like them.

Harris often refers to his family during his speeches.

“Family is everything to me She told her supporters during a rally last August after Joe Biden confirmed her as his running mate.

“I’ve had so many titles throughout my career, and the vice presidency is definitely going to be amazing, but Being “Momala” will always be the one who will be the most valuable to me“, I acknowledge.

She also revealed that she maintains an excellent relationship with Kerstin Imhoff, her ex-wife, who has even collaborated with her election campaign.

I rushed into the public square

Despite the fact that until recently Imhoff’s life was completely far from the realm of politics, some acquaintances claim that Liked For his new role.

During the early years of his relationship with Harris, he kept his career separate.

In 2017, a year after she was elected to the Senate by California – who launched her entire political career – he left the company he had opened in 2000 (and which was acquired by Studio Finnable in 2006) to become a partner in. International law firm DLA Piper specializes in lawsuits related to the entertainment world and intellectual property.

For a few years, Imhoff rotated between the DLA Piper offices in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

But his profile soared in January 2019 when his wife launched her campaign to become the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2020 elections.

Emhoff was active in the year-long campaign, until Harris resigned in December.

However, it was Harris’s election to be Biden’s second official pick in August 2020 that really propelled Imhoff into the public arena.

Not only did he continue to support his wife in many of her works and her voice through her social networks, even She began to star in some eventsSpeeches on behalf of the Biden Harris campaign.

Despite his lack of experience, Emhoff declared that he is Enthusiasm for their new roles, Who have earned him his own group of fans, who call themselves #DougHive or “Hive Doug” (his wife’s fans are #KHive).

“It looks like he really likes it,” Aaron Jacoby, a longtime friend and former legal partner of Emhoff, told the BBC.

“One might expect to feel like a fish out of water, but it doesn’t. He just swims and has fun.”

His two sons, Cole and Ella, also notice that their father appears to be making for the new role.

“I think Doug is like a chameleon and that’s why everyone loves him. It can fit in any room,” Cole, the oldest, who turns 26 today, said in the New York Times.

“I think that of all people, Doug was born for this by accident“.

Follow tradition

Regardless of his gender, IMHOV respected some of the traditions of cum husbands.

For starters, he quit his job: last August, he took time off not only to support his wife in her campaign but also to avoid any conflicts of interest.

After the electoral victory of Biden and Harris, Imhoff followed in the footsteps of most of her predecessors and made public. He was leaving his career to devote himself to his new jobs As the “second man”.

While the task Mainly festive, It is typical for partner leaders to also focus on matters of public interest that complement the primary goals of their partners.

The current first lady, Jill Biden, focused on military families and education when her husband was Vice President under Barack Obama (2009-2017).

Interestingly, Biden, a teacher by profession, violated protocol and continued to teach English at a community college while she was second lady, a job she plans to keep as the wife of the president.

Imhoff will follow in his footsteps: Announce it They will combine their formal duties with teachingIn his case, he taught a course on entertainment rights at Georgetown University.

When asked what might be the focus of his attention as a second gentleman, Jacoby indicated that one option could be criminal justice reform, something that worries both Imhoff and Harris.

However, Jacoby highlights that his friend’s main focus will be vice president.

“Doug is at this to support Kamala,” he said.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8720PvEhPc&t=13s