Tulsi Gabbard Fuels Speculation After Announcing She Won’t Run for Reelection to Congress
Is she considering a third-party presidential challenge, hoping for vice presidential consideration, or will she crash the Democratic National Convention?
Hillary Clinton’s podcast comments last week suggesting Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is a “Russian asset” being “groomed” as a third party candidate seems to have amped up the Hawaii congresswoman’s competitive nature.
After leveling Clinton in a blistering response, Gabbard has been like a one-woman wrecking crew on the campaign trail. She’s continued to call out Clinton, slammed the DNC for what she calls their effort “to kind of hold a pre-primary election before” voters in early primary states get a chance to vote, and met with potential high dollar donors on the Wall Street circuit Wednesday, where she reportedly received what Fox Business called “a hero’s welcome.”
Gabbard also told Fox News’ Sean Hannity this week that she shares Republican concerns about the secretive nature of the impeachment inquiry process House Democratic leaders are conducting behind closed doors:
“I don’t know what’s going on in those closed doors,” Gabbard said. “We as members of Congress do not have access to the information that’s being shared. I think the American people deserve to know exactly what the facts are, what the evidence is being presented as this inquiry goes on.”
She also expressed concerns that a hyper-partisan impeachment inquiry would “tear apart” the country. “I’ve long expressed my concern about going through impeachment proceedings in a very, very partisan way because it will only further tear apart an already divided country.”
Gabbard initially opposed the inquiry but changed her mind in late September, saying that after reviewing additional information and hearing comments President Trump made to the press about the July phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky she believed it was warranted.
But on Thursday, Gabbard really surprised political observers by announcing she would not run for reelection to Congress, saying she believed she could best serve the people of Hawaii from the White House as president:
U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii doubled down on her long-shot presidential campaign, announcing she wouldn’t also run for reelection in her congressional district where a state senator is mounting a spirited push to take her seat.
The 38-year-old Democrat said the threats of war, international tensions and the threats of a new cold war convinced her she should focus on the presidential race.
“I believe I can best serve the people of Hawaii and our country as your president and commander-in-chief,” she said in in a video recording released online early Friday on the East Coast and late Thursday in the islands.
Watch the video of her announcement below:
Today I’m officially announcing that I will not be seeking reelection to Congress in 2020. Throughout my life, I’ve always made my decisions based on where I felt I could do the most good. In light of the challenges we face, I believe I can … pic.twitter.com/F0StYoA66n
— Tulsi Gabbard ? (@TulsiGabbard) October 25, 2019
Naturally, Gabbard’s announcement has fueled speculation as to what she plans to do politically going forward, especially with regards to her presidential campaign.
CNN’s Chris Cillizza echoed what was reported by many national news outlets. “The obvious answer is a third-party presidential bid” he suggested, considering she’s a long-shot for the Democratic nomination anyway.
He also said another possibility is that Gabbard is “angling for a long-term spot on Fox News once she leaves Congress” apparently because that’s what any serious candidate for the highest office in the land would do if they had no real chance to win their party’s nomination.
While it’s possible Gabbard could be preparing for an independent run (in spite of saying in August she wouldn’t) or perhaps wants to join Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris in the vice presidential sweepstakes, I believe the more likely scenario will be a crashing of sorts of the Democratic National Convention, considering what she told reporters last weekend in Iowa (bolded emphasis added):
[Gabbard] said she’s “continuing to use every platform possible to reach voters directly” when asked about her path to the nomination, and wouldn’t predict how she’d finish in Iowa. But she suggested that might not matter — even if she doesn’t have enough delegates to win, “we’re taking this all the way to the nomination.”
Now that would make the DNC worth watching.
— Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter. —
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Comments
Maybe she realizes she is not a good fit for today’s Democrat Party. There is no Republican Party in left-wing Hawaii.
She’s not anywhere on the right.
You can say that again – especially considering it is part of the Democrat Party plan to run ex-military as “moderates” when they’re just as radical as the rest of the Leftist Dems.
Once having grabbed the Power, Tulsi would probably do all sorts of Maxine Waters things…..
Waters Pays Daughter $56K More From Campaign
https://www.weaselzippers.us/436077-waters-pays-daughter-56k-more-from-campaign/
You can’t square the circle with that mode of thinking.
The coastal media hate Gabbard. The progressives hate her. Soros hates her. She’s persona non gratis on msnbc, npr and cnn.
Tulsi is kin to a John McCain “maverick.” How can anyone on the right not see that. The left bloody hate her for it which means I love her for the same reason. We need to prop her up as a proxy – we need to fete her like the leftist media feted McCain.
TULSI 2020!
Mavericks not tolerated in the democrat party. She has to get in line or get out.
Mittens and Tulsi? While some of her positions overlap with many, see is still part of the Hawaii Dems. Definite!y not overlapping that much. She may see that she is being dragged down by the field of candidates to her left. She is just moving right sooner than others just like Mayor Pete.
She would intimidate Mitt.
Wally Cox or Arnold Stang would intimidate Mitt Romney.
Are we certain that Mitt isn’t imitating them?
Surrogate spine for Mittens.
No one should think for a second that she is not an extreme leftwing nut just as much as the rest of the Democrats. Just because she occasionally sounds like she’s taking her meds on schedule doesn’t change the lunatic policy statements she has made and believes in. She’s a Green Deal, open borders, “free” healthcare for all etc etc etc….loon like the rest of them.
She may be a loon, but she appears to be an honest one who wants a non corrupt government.
Big deal. Mussolini, fraud though he was, may still have been the most honest of the major politicians in post-WW1 Europe. Sterling probity in pursuit of the Borg Collective is no virtue.
If the Russian hoax investigations lead to anything, and Democrats starting dropping, some Democrat will need to be there to fill the void. She’ll be nicely placed as the anti-establishment Democrat.
That’s what I used to think. I’ve been saying Tulsi would be the candidate for at least two years and everyone has told me no. It may be the case, but now I think she’s placed to be a 3rd party spoiler. Why? Because it would be the ONLY move that would allow them to win.
I don’t understand why everyone keeps thinking that the democrats are stupid. They aren’t. They just play on the stupidity of voters.
It just amazes me how easy it is to fool people. All of these smart people who should see she is Team Obama can’t see it because they want it to be true.
All hope and no change.
I can believe she is Obama’s 3rd Term……
I like the crashing the convention part.
President? Third party run? Shot at the VP slot?
Strategy? We don’t need no steeenkin’ strategy! Occam’s Razor suggests that maybe she’s just out of her tiny mind.
It’s a 3rd party spoiler spot. Tulsi can’t win by alienating the entire Clinton wing of the party AND the far left looney base. Tulsi did both in a manner that was so damaging that you could feel the the collective pearl clutch of Hillary’s faithful throughout the land. If she doesn’t realize that, she’s too stupid to be president.
No. The Clinton machine is alive and well. Unless Barr and Durham can change the current trajectory, Clinton will ride up the middle of the clown show. Everyone will laugh and ridicule her and say no one wants her. Then Clinton’s PR machine will go into action and given the required amount of time, Democrats will give a big sigh and say I guess Clinton is the best of the worst options we have.
Think they can’t do it? They just got the left to support Biden’s corruption and to be upset that Trump brought our troops home from war. They can and they will.
You say enough people don’t like her and Clinton won’t win?
But Wait! All of the high minded purists, who will NOT vote for Clinton and who don’t like Trump will feel good about themselves as they pull the lever for Tulsi. It won’t be enough for Tulsi to win, but it WILL split the vote and Clinton is hoping that it will be just enough to give her a victory in key states.
I don’t think she can pull it off, but it’s the best shot Clinton has and I think she’s going for it.
pablo panadero | October 26, 2019 at 11:01 am
She may be a loon, but she appears to be an honest one who wants a non corrupt government.
….. APPEARS….being the operative word there….you CANNOT support what she does without wanting the totalitarian oppressive fascist self serving of the elites government that she wants…she pretends better…that’s all
Tulsi is a very charming snake.
I hate those kind.
Anyone seen anything else on this?
George Soros:
Elizabeth Warren ‘Most Qualified To Be President’
https://www.weaselzippers.us/436029-george-soros-elizabeth-warren-most-qualified-to-be-president/
NPR is pointedly ignoring Gabbard. Other media outlets decided to smear her, “angling for a Fox opinion slot” is as passive aggressive as it gets. They might as well call her whore.
I’ll take Spoiler. It serves to weaken the democrats and it costs the republicans not a cent.
She will chech Clinton at every turn up until Clinton is rejected as a presidential prospect.
Tulsi is the progressive version of Sarah Palin. The red guard – the squad/gang of four find Tulsi especially loathsome.
My advice? Sing her praises. It infuriates coastal media and nevertrumpers.
Yes, we can act like Democrats voting in an state with open primaries and who vote in the GOP primaries even though they’re Died in the wool DEMS.
You are not seeing this in the right light. Gabbard is intended to take votes from TRUMP! Just go to through any conservative blog including this one and people who would NEVER vote for Clinton are cheering for Gabbard. Tell them she’s progessive and they blink..blink…don’t’ care. It makes them feel high minded to not be one of those doofus maga hat people.
The Clintons can get their faithful in line with their PR machine. Yes. Yes they can. The Bernie Brats aren’t going to vote for Clinton anyway and will either stay home or vote for Gabbard because she is 100% progressive or to spite Clinton.
Trump lose millions of votes to uninformed voters voting for Gabbard. The votes that Clinton loses to Gabbard are votes she will not get anyway – and Gabbard will help keep those votes from going to Trump.
That’s why Hillary called her a Russian plant. Clinton doesn’t want ANYONE who is willing to vote for Hillary to think it is okay to cast their vote for Gabbard. Give Clinton 3 months and Clinton will have the dupes believing that a Gabbard president will be no different than having Trump as a president.
elle, I’ll just say you are waaayyy off.
“Give Clinton 3 months and Clinton will have the dupes believing that a Gabbard president will be no different than having Trump as a president.”
The proper term is “deplorables”, not dupes. And no, they will not be fooled.
Barry, I read this article today on the Hill. https://thehill.com/opinion/campaign/467657-juan-williams-heed-clintons-warning-on-tulsi-gabbard
They CAN do and intend to, just like they were able to get their followers to believe in 48 hrs that Biden’s corruption was an impeachable offense for Trump.
That said, Soros coming out and supporting Warren makes me wonder where this is headed next. Clinton will need his support.
@Barry I misread your point. I agree with you that Trump’s supporters, the deplorables, will not be fooled by Gabbard.
The dupes that can be stripped away are those not paying attention, Never Trumpers, and the “high minded” who want to virtue signal that they are not deplorables. I already see MANY of them on conservative websites singing Tulsi’s praises. It could be just enough to cause him to lose states he needs to win.