Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is all-in on the 2020 presidential race, saying she won’t run for reelection to her current seat in Congress next year.
In a video posted to her campaign website on Thursday, she said during such a tumultuous time in the country she feels she can best serve the public as president and commander-in-chief.
“As president, I will immediately begin work to end this new Cold War and nuclear arms race, end our interventionist foreign policy of carrying out wasteful regime change wars, and instead redirect our precious resources [toward] serving the needs of the people right here at home,” said Ms. Gabbard, Hawaii Democrat.
“As such, I will not be seeking reelection to Congress in 2020 and humbly ask you for your support for my candidacy for president of the United States,” she said.
Ms. Gabbard qualified for the Democratic presidential debate earlier this month, but she has been polling in the low single digits and is in danger of being left off the stage next month.
She’s facing a primary challenge for her U.S. House seat from Hawaii State Sen. Kai Kahele, who has suggested her national ambitions are affecting her job performance.
Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee, recently suggested that the congresswoman was being groomed to run for president as a third-party candidate to boost President Trump’s reelection chances.
Ms. Gabbard fired back last week, calling Mrs. Clinton the “queen of warmongers.”
The congresswoman has previously said she would not mount a third-party presidential bid if she does not win the Democratic nomination.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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