Kamala Harris' political mentor and ex-boyfriend fears the vice president may have 'Hillary syndrome'

With months before the presidential election and just days before the Democratic National Convention, where Kamala Harris is expected to get the party's nomination, an old acquaintance of the vice president expressed some concerns about this candidacy. He is Willie Brown, Harris' political mentor and ex-boyfriend. 

Brown, who served as mayor of San Francisco and speaker of the California Assembly, spoke with POLITICO  about his career and left some comments about Harris, whom he dated between 1994 and 1995. 

Before Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy, Brown said he was nervous about the impact Harris' personality could have on voters.

"Brown expressed concern aloud that Harris had 'Hillary syndrome'-that 'people don't like her'-and feared that had no solution," the cited media outlet reported. 

The historic California politician said he was no longer in contact with Harris and that Biden should step aside (which ended up happening) to give voters more time to perceive Harris as president "before the election."

He advised the former senator to downplay her gender and ethnicity since "voters want her to respond to them."

During his extensive political career in the Golden State, Brown also boosted the careers of Gavin Newsom and Nancy Pelosi, among many others. 

Willie Brown and Kamala Harris 

The break in Harris' political career was precisely her "affair" with Willie Brown, then speaker of the California Assembly. During their relationship, Brown introduced her to the Golden State elite, contacts she would use in the coming years to climb the ranks. He even appointed her to the state's Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board and later to the California Medical Assistance Commission, positions that came with interesting income.

Defined as the "kingmaker" of the era, Brown furthered his career as a prosecutor in San Francisco, where he worked alongside Terence Hallinan. Harris first met the ballot box in 2004, when she was elected San Francisco district attorney, defeating her former boss and serving until 2011.