Although American political pundit and consultant Matthew Dowd’s partner, Maria Shiver, has yet to break her silence on his firing, she has his back despite the backlash.
Matthew Dowd was fired from MSNBC after blaming Charlie Kirk’s “hateful” rhetoric for the assassination at Utah Valley University.
Despite the backlash, Maria Shriver, Dowd’s partner, stands by him. This speaks volumes about their strong bond that started around 2013.
Matthew Dowd and Maria Shriver first crossed paths at a political event around 2006.
At the time, Dowd was working as a political strategist, notably for Arnold Schwarzenegger’s campaign, who was then married to Shriver.

Over time, this friendship grew into something more romantic, especially after Shriver’s marriage to Schwarzenegger ended.
By 2013, they were openly seen together. They were spotted holding hands at events and showing support for each other’s work.
Dowd and Shriver have yet to get married, despite being together for over a decade, starting around 2013.
In fact, after her 25-year marriage to Schwarzenegger, which ended in 2021 following a painful betrayal, Shriver appears cautious about remarriage.
Matthew Dowd Was Married Twice Before Getting into a Relationship With Shriver!
Before Shriver, Matthew Dowd had two marriages that didn’t work out. His first marriage was to Tammy Edgerly in the mid-1980s.
Back in the mid-1980s, when Dowd was starting out in politics, he crossed paths with Tammy Edgerly. They tied the knot around 1985, right as Dowd was hustling through jobs in Texas and beyond.
They had three sons together, including Daniel, who later served in the Army.
However, after about a decade, their relationship went sour and their marriage ended in divorce, though the reasons remain unknown.
Not long after his divorce from Tammy, Dowd found love again with Nikki Baines in the late 1990s.
They married and welcomed twin daughters. Tragically, one of the twins passed away just two months after birth in 2002, which put a heavy strain on their relationship.
This loss, combined with other challenges, led to their divorce soon after.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Dowd started his career in the 1980s working for Democrats. In 1999, Dowd switched to the Republican Party, a significant move that led to his most notable career break.
- He joined ABC News as a political analyst, appearing on shows like Good Morning America and This Week with George Stephanopoulos,
- Dowd grew up in a big Irish Catholic family as the third of 11 kids of his parents.
