Susan Waren became a familiar name to political and media watchers as the second wife of MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, though her own background as a congressional aide, gubernatorial staffer, and mother of two gives her a story that goes well beyond her famous former marriage. While Joe Scarborough built a public career in politics and television, Susan Waren took a much quieter path, working behind the scenes in government before stepping fully out of the spotlight after her divorce. This article looks closely at who Susan Waren is, how she met Joe Scarborough, what her life looked like during their marriage, and where she stands today.
Quick Bio Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Susan Waren |
| Known For | Ex wife of Joe Scarborough |
| Nationality | American |
| Former Husband | Joe Scarborough (married 2001, divorced 2013) |
| Marriage Duration | Approximately 12 years |
| Children | Katherine “Kate” Scarborough (born 2003), Jack Scarborough (born 2008) |
| Past Occupation | Aide to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush; congressional committee staffer |
| Notable Affiliation | Sherwood Foundation charitable work |
| Blog | SouthXNortheast (inactive since around 2015) |
| Current Status | Lives privately, out of the public eye |
Early Life and Background
Susan Waren has kept her personal history largely private, and there is little verified information about her childhood, hometown, or education available from credible sources. Unlike her former husband, who spent years in public office and on national television, Susan never sought public attention on her own terms. What is well documented is her professional background in Florida politics before her marriage to Joe Scarborough. She worked as an aide to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and also served as a staffer on a congressional committee, giving her firsthand experience in state and federal government long before she became known primarily through her marriage.
This political and administrative background suggests Susan Waren built a career grounded in public service well before she became publicly associated with Joe Scarborough. Her time working within Florida’s government likely overlapped with Scarborough’s own tenure as a U.S. Representative from Florida, which is a plausible explanation for how the two eventually crossed paths.
How Susan Waren Met Joe Scarborough
Joe Scarborough had already built a political career by the time he and Susan Waren’s paths crossed. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Florida’s first congressional district starting in 1994, and was reelected multiple times before leaving office in 2001. During this period, he was married to his first wife, Melanie Hinton, whom he had wed in 1986 after the two met as college sweethearts. Joe and Melanie had two sons together, Andrew and Charles “Joey” Scarborough, before divorcing in 1999.
Given Susan Waren’s own work within Florida government circles, it is widely reported that she and Joe Scarborough became acquainted through their shared professional environment in politics. The two married in 2001, shortly after Joe’s first marriage had ended and around the same time he was transitioning out of Congress.
The Marriage of Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough
Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough were married for roughly twelve years, a period during which Joe’s career shifted dramatically from politics to broadcasting. He left Congress in 2001 and eventually launched into television work, ultimately becoming co-host of MSNBC’s Morning Joe when the program debuted in 2007. Throughout this transition, Susan remained largely out of public view, even as her husband became one of the most recognized political commentators on cable news.
During their marriage, the couple welcomed two children. Their daughter, Katherine Scarborough, often referred to as Kate, was born in 2003. Their son, Jack Scarborough, followed in 2008. Susan also helped raise Joe’s two sons from his first marriage during periods of shared parenting, making her part of a blended family that balanced two sets of children from different marriages.
Public appearances by the couple were relatively rare, though they were occasionally photographed together at events tied to Joe’s career, including political and media gatherings in Washington, D.C., and New York. Even so, Susan generally avoided the press and declined to build a public persona of her own, a pattern that continued after the marriage ended.
Career and Philanthropic Work
Beyond her time in Florida government, Susan Waren has been connected to philanthropic efforts, most notably associated with the Sherwood Foundation, an organization known for charitable giving. While detailed public records of her specific role are limited, her association with charitable work aligns with the broader picture of someone who has favored quiet, service oriented work over public recognition.
Susan Waren also had a creative outlet for a period of time through a blog called SouthXNortheast, which she reportedly contributed to alongside another writer. The blog focused on lifestyle and regional topics but has not been updated since around 2015, reflecting her continued preference for privacy as the years have passed.
The Divorce and What Led to It
Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough divorced in 2013, ending a marriage of about twelve years. The split came a few years before Joe’s relationship with his Morning Joe co-host, Mika Brzezinski, became public. Joe and Mika had worked together for roughly a decade before their relationship turned romantic, and they eventually confirmed their romance in 2017 before marrying in 2018.
Speculation about the timeline between Susan’s divorce from Joe and his later relationship with Mika has circulated in entertainment and political media for years. However, Susan Waren has never publicly commented in detail on the reasons behind the divorce or on her former husband’s subsequent relationship. Her decision to stay silent on the matter is consistent with the privacy she has maintained throughout her adult life.
Following the divorce, Susan and Joe shared custody of their two children, Kate and Jack, who were still young at the time of the split.
Life After the Divorce
Since her divorce from Joe Scarborough, Susan Waren has stepped almost entirely out of public life. She has not been photographed with a new partner, has not given interviews about her post divorce life, and has not appeared at high profile media or political events in the years since. Reports suggest she has focused her time on raising her two children and maintaining a private, settled life away from cameras and headlines.
Various entertainment outlets have estimated her net worth over the years, with figures ranging from roughly three hundred thousand to five hundred thousand dollars, though these numbers are not independently confirmed through official financial records and should be treated as rough estimates rather than verified facts. Reports also indicate she received a divorce settlement that included spousal support, which would have provided financial stability as she transitioned into single parenthood.
Meanwhile, Joe Scarborough’s public profile has only grown since the divorce. His Morning Joe program remains a fixture on MSNBC, and his net worth has been estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, a stark contrast to the modest and private financial life Susan has maintained.
Susan Waren’s Children Today
Kate and Jack Scarborough, Susan’s two children with Joe, have largely grown up outside the spotlight compared to some children of prominent media figures. Public information about their current lives, education, or careers remains limited, again reflecting the family’s overall preference for privacy. Susan appears to have prioritized giving her children a grounded, low profile upbringing despite their father’s high visibility career.
Joe Scarborough has occasionally referenced his children in interviews or on air, generally in passing and without sharing significant personal detail. This restraint appears to be a shared approach between Joe and Susan when it comes to their children, even though the two have taken very different paths in terms of public visibility since their divorce. Kate and Jack also share a blended family connection with their two older half brothers, Andrew and Joey Scarborough, from Joe’s first marriage to Melanie Hinton, as well as with Mika Brzezinski’s two daughters from her prior marriage. Despite this large blended family structure, reports suggest the children have maintained a relatively normal upbringing away from tabloid attention.
Comparing Susan Waren to Joe Scarborough’s Other Marriages
Understanding Susan Waren’s place in Joe Scarborough’s life becomes clearer when compared with his other two marriages. His first wife, Melanie Hinton, whom he married in 1986 and divorced in 1999, was his college sweetheart and the mother of his two eldest sons. His third and current wife, Mika Brzezinski, is his professional broadcasting partner, and their relationship developed publicly over years of co-hosting Morning Joe before they married in 2018.
Susan Waren stands apart from both of these marriages in one clear way. She is the only one of Joe’s three wives who has never had a substantial public career of her own tied to entertainment, journalism, or broadcasting. While Melanie Hinton met Joe during his pre-political college years and Mika Brzezinski built her own prominent media career alongside him, Susan’s professional life stayed rooted in behind the scenes government and administrative work. This distinction helps explain why she has remained comparatively unknown to the public despite spending over a decade married to one of cable news’s most recognizable hosts.
What Makes Susan Waren’s Approach to Privacy Notable
In an era when many former spouses of public figures choose to write memoirs, join reality television, or build social media followings tied to their past relationships, Susan Waren has taken a distinctly different route. She has not published a book about her marriage, has not appeared in tell all interviews, and has not used her connection to Joe Scarborough to build a media career of her own. This consistency over more than a decade suggests a deliberate and sustained choice rather than a temporary period of withdrawal.
This approach also extends to how she handled her children’s upbringing. By avoiding media attention, Susan appears to have shielded Kate and Jack from the kind of public scrutiny that sometimes follows children of prominent television personalities. Her steady preference for privacy, both for herself and her family, has become one of the more defining characteristics associated with her name.
Why Susan Waren’s Story Still Draws Interest
Even though Susan Waren has avoided the spotlight for well over a decade, public curiosity about her persists, largely because of her connection to Joe Scarborough’s very public career and his later marriage to Mika Brzezinski. Search interest in her name tends to spike whenever Joe or Mika make headlines, whether for political commentary, television milestones, or personal news. Despite that attention, Susan has consistently chosen not to engage with the media, which has only deepened public curiosity about who she is and how she has chosen to live her life after such a high profile marriage.
Her story offers a useful contrast to the modern trend of public figures’ former spouses seeking their own media presence. Susan Waren represents the opposite approach, prioritizing privacy, stability for her children, and a life largely disconnected from the entertainment and political news cycle that continues to follow her former husband.
Conclusion
Susan Waren remains best known publicly as the ex-wife of Joe Scarborough, but her own background in Florida politics, her philanthropic ties, and her quiet dedication to raising her two children tell a fuller story than that single label suggests. Since her 2013 divorce, she has chosen a life away from cameras and headlines, a decision that has only added to public curiosity about her. While much of her current life remains private, her time in government and her role as a mother continue to define who she is beyond her connection to a well known television personality.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Susan Waren?
Susan Waren is an American woman best known as the second wife of MSNBC Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough. Before her marriage, she worked as an aide to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush and as a congressional committee staffer.
When did Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough get married and divorced?
Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough married in 2001 and divorced in 2013, ending a marriage that lasted approximately twelve years.
Does Susan Waren have children with Joe Scarborough?
Yes, Susan Waren and Joe Scarborough have two children together, a daughter named Katherine “Kate” Scarborough, born in 2003, and a son named Jack Scarborough, born in 2008.
What does Susan Waren do now?
Susan Waren lives a private life away from the media and public events. She is believed to focus on raising her children and has been associated with philanthropic work connected to the Sherwood Foundation.
Is Susan Waren active on social media or in public appearances?
No, Susan Waren maintains a very low public profile and has not made notable media appearances, given interviews, or engaged actively on social media since her divorce from Joe Scarborough.
