Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris - and the first Jewish person married to a nationally elected U.S. leader - said Tuesday that he is "gutted" after the execution of American Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other Israeli hostages taken by Hamas.
Speaking at a vigil for the hostages at his synagogue in Washington, Emhoff said, "I haven't been able to stop thinking about Hersh and his parents, or about the five others and their families." He added: "This is hard. I feel raw. I'm gutted."
Emhoff, who stands to become the nation's "first gentleman" if Harris is elected president in November, has emerged as a prominent administration liaison to the Jewish community and a voice in countering antisemitism, particularly in the wake of Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel. About 1,200 people, including at least 40 Americans, were killed in the assault, and about 250 more were taken hostage.
"How you feel right now is how I feel," Emhoff said at the event at the Adas Israel Congregation organized by local and national Jewish groups. "And how we all feel is something Kamala hears directly from me."
He added: "Hersh's loss feels personal to the two of us. We're both grieving."
