(The Hill) — Second gentleman Doug Emhoff slammed Republican Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ dig at Vice President Kamala Harris for not having biological children.
“Somehow because Cole and Ella (Emhoff) aren’t Kamala’s quote-unquote biological children, that she doesn’t have anything in her life to keep her humble,” Emhoff said Wednesday during a campaign event in Brooklyn, New York.
“As if keeping women humble, whether you have children or not, is something we should strive for, It is not,” he continued as the crowd applauded. “But I’ll tell you what, going back to that debate, Kamala sure kept Trump humble at that debate, didn’t she, because that’s what this is really about.”
Sanders, who previously served as former President Donald Trump’s press secretary, went after Harris during a town hall with the ex-president, saying the Democratic nominee “doesn’t have anything keeping her humble” since she does not have biological children. Sanders said her kids are a “permanent reminder of what’s important.”
The GOP governor also faced criticism from Bryan Lanza, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign.
“I, too, was blessed to have a stepmother. I wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t be able to have conversations without a stepmother so I found that comment to be actually offensive,” Lanza said.
“I don’t know what more to say. I’m disappointed in Sarah for saying that. I’m sure I’m going to get criticism from the campaign,” he added during his appearance on CNN. “Bu, I have to sort of defend somebody who’s a stepmom. It’s a tough job. People who step into that role, it’s usually a difficult dynamic.”
Kerstin Emhoff, the second gentleman’s ex-wife, also defended Harris in a Tuesday post on X.
“Cole and Ella keep us inspired to make the world a better place,” she wrote. “I do it through storytelling. Kamala Harris has spent her entire career working for the people, ALL families. That keeps you pretty humble.”
Emhoff also added Wednesday during his campaign stop in New York that nothing is more important to him, Harris or his ex-wife than their kids.
“And we know that all parents, no matter how you become one, make the same sacrifices and revel in the same joys of raising children, as any parent, anywhere,” he said.
