Jake Harper
Kamala Harris, the first woman and first Black and South Asian person to become vice president of the United States, has been in the spotlight since Joe Biden endorsed her as the Democratic presidential nominee for 2024. Harris' romantic history has come under scrutiny, including her brief relationship with television host Montel Williams in 2001. Williams, who gained fame from The Montel Williams Show, addressed their past relationship in 2019, expressing respect for Harris and questioning the relevance of such stories if the candidate were male. Harris has been married to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff since 2014.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of the relationship | 2001 |
| Duration of the relationship | Brief |
| Relationship status of Harris and Williams at the time | Both single |
| Current relationship status of Harris and Williams | Ex-boyfriend |
| Current relationship status of Harris | Married to Doug Emhoff since 2014 |
| Williams' response to the resurfacing of his relationship with Harris | Expressed respect for Harris and questioned the relevance of such stories, particularly if they involved a male candidate |
| Harris' response to the resurfacing of her relationship with Williams | None |
What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris and Montel Williams dated in 2001
Kamala Harris and Montel Williams dated briefly in 2001. Harris, who was working for the San Francisco City Attorney's Office at the time, went on to become the first female, first African-American, and first Asian-American US Vice President. Williams, a former television host and military officer, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis around the time they dated.
The pair made a public appearance on the red carpet at the Eighth Annual Race to Erase MS in Los Angeles, accompanied by Williams' daughter, Ashley. Photos and videos of the couple resurfaced in 2019 when Harris was running for president in the 2020 election, and again in 2024 when she became the Democratic nominee for president. Right-wing social media influencers shared archival photos of the couple, bringing their past relationship back into the spotlight.
Williams addressed their relationship on Twitter, writing:
> Kamala Harris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?
Despite the attention on Harris' dating history, Williams signalled his support for her presidential campaign in 2024.
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Williams supported Harris' 2024 presidential campaign
Kamala Harris, the 49th Vice President of the United States, took over President Joe Biden's 2024 presidential campaign in July 2024, after he withdrew from the race. Harris is the first female, Black, and South Asian vice president. Harris's 2024 presidential campaign has been marked by several endorsements, including those from musicians and public figures.
Montel Williams, a former television host, briefly dated Kamala Harris in 2001. Williams has shown support for Harris's 2024 presidential campaign. In 2019, when Harris was running in the Democratic presidential primary, Williams addressed their relationship on Twitter, writing:
> "@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?"
Williams also reposted Maryland Governor Wes Moore's endorsement of Harris, highlighting his support for the vice president. Harris's campaign has also been marked by deceptive videos and attacks on her stance on various issues. Harris's views on transgender rights, for example, have been misrepresented in Trump's 2024 campaign advertisements.
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Williams' respect for Harris
Williams and Harris dated briefly in 2001, and their relationship came into the spotlight in 2019 when Harris was running for president in the 2020 election. Williams, a former television host, gained attention as people and political opponents focused on Harris' dating history. Despite this, Williams expressed his support for Harris, even after their relationship ended.
In 2019, Williams addressed their relationship on Twitter, writing:
> "@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?"
Williams' support for Harris continued even after their relationship ended. When Harris became the Democratic nominee for president in 2024, Williams signalled his support for her campaign, despite initially supporting another candidate. This shows that Williams' respect for Harris extended beyond their romantic relationship and that he admired her political abilities and potential as a leader.
Williams' public endorsement of Harris, along with his defence of her against baseless attacks and sexist inquiries, demonstrates his ongoing respect for his former partner.
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Photos of the pair went viral
Photos of Kamala Harris and Montel Williams went viral in 2019 when Harris was running in the Democratic presidential primary. The photos, which were shared on Twitter by right-wing social media influencers, showed the pair attending an event together decades ago. Williams addressed the attention on their past relationship, confirming that they had dated briefly when they were both single and expressing his respect for Harris. He also questioned whether the same stories would have been written if she were a male candidate.
The photos resurfaced again in 2024 when Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Harris as the Democratic nominee for president. Williams's Twitter account saw an increase in activity as people became interested in his past relationship with Harris. He gained new followers and retweeted posts from people commenting on the situation. Williams also shared and then deleted screenshots of journalists' requests for comment on the story, with his publicity rep referring to the inquiries as "creepy, misogynistic questions".
The photos of Harris and Williams first came to light when Harris was picked as Biden's vice-presidential candidate. The pair made a public appearance together at the Eighth Annual Race to Erase MS in Los Angeles in 2001, accompanied by Williams's daughter, Ashley. At the time, Harris was working for the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, while Williams had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
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Williams' social media activity
In 2024, Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, became the Democratic nominee for president. Harris' dating history with Montel Williams, a former television host, resurfaced on social media after conservative posters shared archival photos of the two at events together decades ago. Williams addressed their relationship on Twitter, writing:
> "@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?"
Williams also shared and then deleted a screenshot of "journalists' requests for comment from Williams about Harris," which his publicity rep, Jonathan Franks, called "creepy, misogynistic question(s)". Williams' social media activity since the resurfacing of his relationship with Harris has been described as a "retweeting—and deleting—spree", with the former talk show host also taking the opportunity to welcome and thank his new followers.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Kamala Harris and Montel Williams dated briefly in 2001.
Yes, there are photos of the pair attending the Eighth Annual Race to Erase MS in Los Angeles, accompanied by Williams' daughter, Ashley.
In 2019, Williams tweeted:
> "@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what? I have great respect for Sen. Harris. I have to wonder if the same stories about her dating history would have been written if she were a male candidate?"
