Profile: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii
WASHINGTON (SBG) – Rep Tulsi Gabbard launched her longshot bid for the presidency in January, stating that “the issue of war and peace” drives will drive her campaign
"There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision. There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I'm concerned about and that I want to help solve," Gabbard said in an interview with CNN where she announced her candidacy.Rep. Gabbard, 37, is the first Hindu and American Samoan elected to Congress, according to The New York Times. The veteran has a reputation for being a bit of a vanguard, frequently breaking with the party line especially over her anti-interventionist foreign policy. Rep. Gabbard has gained criticism from progressives for arguing the best way to defeat ISIS was for the U.S. to align with Syrian dictator Basha al-Assad and from LGBT+ advocates for past work for the Alliance for Traditional Marriage, which was run by her father.
Once billed as a rising Democratic star, her campaign has struggled to gain traction. Gabbard is a progressive with social conservative roots who broke from party ranks by endorsing Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016, making her a bit of a riddle for her party and for voters.
In a video spot released in March, she asked for donations for her "people powered" campaign so she can qualify to get on the presidential debate stage.
As her campaign has moved forward Rep. Gabbard continues to go against the grain, placing blame for what she sees as policy failures on an entrenched establishment in Washington, D.C. rather than just Republican Donald Trump.
“It’s important for us to step outside of just the political conversation and instead focus on people -- the people who are being impacted by the policies that this administration is putting forward and that leaders in Congress are putting forward,” said Gabbard in March.Follow Gabbard's campaign:
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