First Wives (and Husbands) Club: Meet the spouses of your next US presidential candidates
First Wives (and Husbands) Club puts spotlight on spouses of presidential candidates
The 2024 presidential race is hotly contested, with seven Republicans jostling to be their party's nominee and President Joe Biden leading the Democratic Party. The election, which is regarded as one of the most heated political races in American history, has also drawn attention to the spouses of presidential contenders. They are a colorful crew, running the gamut from a commissioned Army officer to a former fashion model. Here we bring you a look at the better halves of candidates running for president in 2024.
Joe Biden's wife Jill Biden
As the wife of President Joe Biden, Jill Biden is no stranger to the glare of the political spotlight. She has been making headlines after assuming the role of the First Lady of the United States in 2021 and even before that as the Second Lady, when Biden was the Vice President in the Obama era. Born in Hammonton, New Jersey, she married Joe Biden in 1977, becoming the stepmother of Beau and Hunter, two sons from Joe Biden's first marriage. She holds a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Delaware and a master's degree in education and English from West Chester University and Villanova University. She spent thirteen years teaching reading and English in secondary schools and working with teenagers who had emotional disturbances at a mental health facility. Jill also serves as the founder of the Biden Breast Health Initiative, Book Buddies, Biden Foundation, Delaware Boots on the Ground, and Joining Forces.
Donald Trump's wife Melania Trump
Melania Trump, a Slovenian-American former model, is the glamorous wife of GOP candidate Donald Trump. The couple tied the knot on January 22, 2005, in an Anglican service at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. Melania was born in Yugoslavia to parents Viktor Knavs and Amalija. She expressed an interest in fashion at a very young age, which led her to study design and architecture in Ljubljana. Melania was only 18 years old when she signed with a modeling agency in Milan and began flying around Europe and the US, appearing in high-profile ad campaigns. During her modeling days, she was represented by Irene Marie Models and Trump Model Management. Five years after her marriage to Trump, Melania launched her eponymous watch and jewelry collection in 2010.
Nikki Haley's husband William Michael Haley
William Michael Haley is the husband of GOP candidate Nikki Haley, who served as the US ambassador to the United Nations from 2017 to 2018. The couple met during their college days at Clemson and went on to tie the knot in September 1996. Michael is referred to as FGOSC (First Gentleman of South Carolina). He is the first governor's husband to serve on active duty in a combat zone. He is a South Carolina Army commissioned officer, who specializes in security cooperation. He enlisted in the National Guard in 2006, and in 2012, he completed a year-long tour of service in Afghanistan as a captain of the South Carolina Army National Guard.
Ron DeSantis's wife Casey DeSantis
A former news journalist, and television show host, Casey DeSantis is the wife of Florida Governor and GOP candidate Ron DeSantis. The couple first met on a golf course at the University of North Florida and married on September 26, 2009, at Walt Disney World Resort. They have three children together: two daughters and a son. Born in Ohio, Casey earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a minor in French from the College of Charleston. She anchored 'PGA Tour Today' and 'On The Tee on the Golf Channel' early in her career. Later, she went on to serve as an anchor and local newscaster for Jacksonville, Florida's WJXT. Casey also created and produced the television documentary Champion, 'The JT Townsend Story', regarding high school football player JT Townsend.
Vivek Ramaswamy's wife Apoorva T Ramaswamy
Apoorva T Ramaswamy is the better half of biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The GOP candidate first met Apoorva while studying law at Yale, where she was studying medicine. They married in 2015 and have two sons. Apoorva now serves as an assistant professor and surgeon in Ohio in the United States. She specializes in the treatment of swallowing disorders and voice disorders of cancer survivors.
Cenk Uygur's wife Wendy Lang
Wendy Lang is a family therapist who is married to famed Turkish-American political commentator and Democrat candidate – Cenk Uygur. As a professional, Lang has effectively carved out a place for herself as a marital and family therapist, counseling not just couples but also their children and the entire family. Wendy Lang Uygur attended the University of Southern California after graduating from high school. In 2004, she served as president of the Chinese Culture Club at her institution, which at the time was the biggest Chinese graduate student organization in North America. She has over twenty years of experience as a private practice therapist. She is the president of Beverly Hills Child and Family Counselling, according to Yen.com.
Chris Christie's wife Mary Pat Christie
Born in Paoli, Pennsylvania, Mary Pat Christie is an investment banker, who has been married to former New Jersey governor Chris Christie for more than 30 years. Foster received her bachelor's degree at the University of Delaware where the couple initially met, according to the US Sun. Later on, she attended Seton Hall University to earn her MBA in business administration. Until April 2015, she was employed as a managing director at Angelo, Gordon & Co., a Wall Street investment firm. Mary Pat is also a partner at Christie 55 Solutions, a consulting firm led by her husband.
Asa Hutchinson's wife Susan Burrell Hutchinson
Susan Burrell Hutchinson has been married to the former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson, whom she met at Bob Jones University in South Carolina when both were students. Primarily recognized for her charitable contributions, Susan Hutchinson is involved with the American Heart Association and Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation boards of directors, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, and the Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation. They married in 1973 and have four grown children – Asa III, Sarah, Seth, and John Hutchinson – and six grandchildren.
Doug Burgum's wife Kathryn Burgum
Kathryn Burgum is the wife of North Dakota governor Doug Burgum. The couple married in 2016 after Doug divorced his first wife Karen Stoker, with whom he shared three children Jesse, Joe, and Tom Burgum. She holds an undergraduate degree in retail business from Arizona State University and a master’s of business administration degree in human resources from the University of North Texas. Over the course of her 25-year career, she has worked in a variety of sectors including retail, biotechnology, software, manufacturing, agricultural, and real estate development. As the first lady of North Dakota, Kathryn promoted the Recovery Reinvented program on addiction and recovery.
Ryan Binkley's wife Ellie Binkley
Ellie Binkley is the wife of American businessman and GOP candidate Ryan Binkley, who is also a pastor from Columbus, Georgia. Since tying the knot in 1999, the couple have welcomed four biological children and also have an adopted child. Not much is known about Ellie but after her marriage, she started serving as the director of the Metro Atlanta Masters Commission at Victory World Church in Norcross, Georgia with her husband. They later returned to Binkley's hometown in Dallas to open a new ministry after his brother was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver, as per the Sun.
Dean Phillips's wife Annalise Glick
The 54-year-old US representative Dean Phillips is married to Annalise Glick and has two daughters, Daniela and Pia, from his previous marriage to Karin Einisman. Since Glick usually keeps to herself, not much is known about her personal life; nevertheless, her Facebook page states that she attended the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles, California, for her undergraduate education. She started AGG, a modern art gallery and destination for home furnishings. However, it has since closed.
Robert F Kennedy Jr's wife Cheryl Hines
Actress Cheryl Hines is the third wife of Robert F Kennedy Jr, who was previously married to Emily Ruth Black and Mary Kathleen Richardson. In an attempt to get into Hollywood, Hines took on odd occupations such as bartending and serving as Rob Reiner's assistant, a screenwriter, director, and actor. Hines had minor roles in several TV shows and movies for nearly a decade before rising to fame with her role as Larry David's wife in 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' — a role she got after completely blowing the comedian away during her audition. Cheryl's career took off after the release of the show and she went on to star in several popular films and TV series. She was nominated for two Emmys, and appeared on 11 seasons of the HBO comedy.
Jill Stein's husband Richard Rohrer
Richard Rohrer is the second husband of Jill Stein, whom she married after her divorce from TV chef Rick Stein. In addition to being a devoted family man, Rohrer is a Lexington, Massachusetts-based practicing physician. As a board-certified internal medicine and pediatrician, Rohrer did his residency at Boston City Hospital after earning his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He is also involved in several organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Environmental Health and Physicians for Social Responsibility.