Former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard announces switch to Republican Party

Tulsi Gabbard was elected to the U.S. House and ran for president as a Democrat. No more.

At a rally Tuesday for former President Donald Trump in Greensboro, North Carolina, Ms. Gabbard said she is now formally a Republican.

The former Hawaii representative said she was joining “the party of the people, the party of equality, the party that was founded to fight against and end slavery in this country, and is the party of common sense, and the party that is led by a president who has the courage and strength to fight for peace.”

She had previously announced that she had left the Democratic Party, but had remained an independent until now.

Ms. Gabbard endorsed Mr. Trump for president some weeks ago and has appeared as a surrogate for him in this campaign. Mr. Trump introduced her at the end of his speech in Greensboro on Tuesday to thunderous applause from the crowd.

“Boy, are you popular!” he remarked.

Ms. Gabbard had been drifting from the Democratic Party since running for president in 2020, during which she famously scolded Kamala Harris in a debate for her record as a prosecutor.

She said at Tuesday’s Trump rally the Democratic Party is now “completely unrecognizable” and Ms. Harris just as bad as ever.

“She is anti-freedom, she is pro-censorship, she is pro-open borders, and she is pro-war,” Ms. Gabbard said of Ms. Harris. “Without even pretending to care about peace, as President Trump talked about, she has shamelessly embraced the endorsement and support of warmongers like Dick Cheney and Liz Cheney.”