WASHINGTON — Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband, is campaigning Thursday with a Democratic congressional candidate in New Mexico. It’s his first such trip on behalf of a candidate.
Emhoff will appear with Melanie Stansbury, the Democrat running in Tuesday’s special election for New Mexico’s 1st Congressional District. The safe Democratic district came open after Rep. Deb Haaland became President Joe Biden’s Interior Department secretary.
Biden recently endorsed Stansbury, noting her background as a state representative and scientist and declaring in a statement that “she has the grit and determination to deliver real results for all New Mexicans.”
Emhoff’s visit marks his first campaign travel for a candidate, and one of the first forays into campaign politics for the Biden administration; the president and Vice President Kamala Harris have stayed away from political events since taking office. Emhoff, however, joined new Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison for his first virtual fundraiser in March.
He is otherwise a prolific surrogate for the Biden administration, frequently traveling to sell the president’s COVID-19 relief plan and his infrastructure proposal to the American public.
