Dem congressional primary in Ariz. enters recount range
WILMINGTON, Del. — Second gentleman Doug Emhoff acknowledged Saturday that he had an extramarital affair years ago that contributed to the breakup of his first marriage.
“During my first marriage, Kerstin and I went through some tough times on account of my actions,” Emhoff said in a statement, first reported by 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.”
He issued the statement after the Daily Mail reported on the matter.
The affair was known to the team that vetted Vice President Kamala Harris before President Joe Biden picked her to be his running mate in 2020, according to a person familiar with the events who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive situation. Harris knew about the affair before she married
PHOENIX — The Democratic primary in Arizona’s 3rd Congressional District narrowed to a margin of just 0.21 percentage points Friday, within the range of an automatic recount.
Former Phoenix City Council member Yassamin Ansari led former state lawmaker Raquel Terán by 89 votes, with 42,523 votes tallied and just a few hundred votes left to count.
The seat is open due to Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego’s
Jacquelyn Martin/Associated Press file photo Emhoff, the person said.
Emhoff and Harris met on a blind date in 2013 and married the following year. It was her first marriage and his second. Harris’ stepchildren, Ella and Cole Emhoff, were teenagers when their father remarried.
Kerstin Emhoff has spoken positively of Harris as a “co-parent” of her daughters and as “loving, nurturing, fiercely protecting and
run for U.S. Senate. The winner of the Democratic primary will be the favorite in the November election against Republican Jeff Zink to represent the district, which leans Democratic and covers central and southwest Phoenix.
Arizona law calls for a recount if the margin is 0.5 percentage points or less.
One other key congressional primary was decided Thursday when former Arizona state Rep. Amish Shah prevailed in the Democratic primary for a district covering parts of always present.” She issued a statement supporting her ex-husband after he acknowledged the affair.
“Doug and I decided to end our marriage for a variety of reasons, many years ago,” she said. “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.” northeastern Phoenix and three affluent suburbs. That sets up a competitive November election against seven-term incumbent Republican David Schweikert.
Voters delivered victories to some front-runners in Tuesday's primary election, namely former Phoenix television news anchor and gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. She defeated Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb in a Republican U.S. Senate primary that headlined the election statewide and will face Democrat Ruben Gallego in November.