Since President Joe Biden announced he was withdrawing from the 2024 presidential race and endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, all eyes have been on the former senator.
Now, as the official Democratic nominee for president, voters are learning more about the first woman and first Black and South Asian person to become vice president of the United States. Everything from her net worth, relationship with her father, and record as an attorney general are now under the proverbial microscope—even her romantic history.
While Harris has been happily married to Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff since 2014, she previously dated another public figure: Montel Williams. The talk show host's previous relationship with Harris resurfaced after right-wing social media influencers shared archival photos of the pair attending an event decades ago on X (formerly known as Twitter) back in 2019.
Right-wing provocateur and failed candidate for Congress Laura Loomer more recently used the photos to attack Harris in a since-deleted post, making sexist remarks about Harris and accusing her of being a sex worker. (Justifiably, the posts were flagged as "hateful content.")
Partisan and baseless attacks aside, Harris' dating history with Williams is back in the spotlight, so here's a trip down memory lane.
Back in 2019, when then-Senator Harris ran for president during the 2020 election, Williams gained similar attention as people and political opponents focused on Harris' dating history.
“@KamalaHarris and I briefly dated about 20 years ago when we were both single. So what?” Williams tweeted in 2019 after the same pictures came to light during the Democratic presidential primary. “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?”
Harris eventually withdrew from the 2020 presidential race during the Democratic primary, and (surprise, surprise) the attention on her dating history with Williams somewhat vanished.
That is, of course, until she became the Democratic nominee for president in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
.@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? https://t.co/UQjkP2m5jrAugust 7, 2019
When President Biden announced he was ending his 2024 presidential campaign and would only serve as a one-term president, Williams initially voiced his support for Maryland Governor Wes Moore on X, posting that he would "love to see (him) leading the ticket."
Shortly after, Moore tweeted his support for and endorsement of Harris, which Williams ended up re-tweeting in what appeared to be an endorsement of his own.
That is when right-wing conservative commentators and media influencers began re-sharing decades-old photos of Harris and Williams together. Online trolls like "Catturd” and Loomer posted photos and baseless claims about Williams and Harris, leaving Williams to post on X, "Who is 'Catturd?'" (Fair question; according to a Rolling Stone report, he's some dude in Florida.)
Wiliams went on the defense in since-deleted tweets, even pointing out to X owner Elon Musk that his platform will never be advertiser-friendly when such baseless claims and attacks are allowed.
Williams also shared and then deleted a screenshot of "journalists' requests for comment from Williams about Harris," as Vanity Fair reports. According to the same story, Williams' rep, Jonathan Franks, called the requests and inquiries "creepy, misogynistic question(s)."
"I’m mad that I didn’t know @Montel_Williams was on twitter until all of the lies against VP Kamala Harris started," one fan posted on X. "That man played a major role in my childhood. I use to pretend to be sick so I could stay home to watch his show."
Williams is certainly taking advantage of his newfound level of attention. On X, the former talk show host posted about his appreciation for the influx of social media followers.
“I’d like to welcome my new followers and thank those of you who have stood by me all these years,” he tweeted in a post that's now pinned to his profile. "I appreciate you.”
Williams also appeared on CNN and praised Harris for her calls for unity during a recent campaign rally, especially her "tenor" of "let's unite, not divide."
"She's really focused on trying to make America understand that what unites us is far greater than what divides us," he added.
