The Hawaai congresswoman says she will make a formal announcement next week.
Just as Americans had been speculating about the entry of more candidates in the presidential sweepstakes, here comes another announcement that is bound to add enough diversity and interest in the 2020 run for the US presidency.
Democrat Tulsi Gabbard on Friday announced that she would be mounting a presidential run next year.
“I have decided to run and will be making a formal announcement within the next week,†the congresswoman from Hawaii said in an interview to CNN.
“There are a lot of reasons for me to make this decision,†she said. “There are a lot of challenges that are facing the American people that I’m concerned about and that I want to help solve.”
The Hawaii Democrat is one of several prominent Democratic women legislators expected to enter the presidential race. Other likely contenders include Indian American Sen. Kamala Harris and the California Democrat’s Senate colleagues Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and New York’s junior Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
Gabbard, a congresswoman since 2012, is the first Samoan-American and the first Hindu member of the United States Congress.
She has also served previously as the vice-chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee. She resigned during the 2016 campaign to support Bernie Sanders.
Gabbard was born in Leloaloa, American Samoa to Mike and Carol Gabbard. While her father, Mike is of American Samoan descent, her mom was born in Indiana.
Carol Gabbard, who is of European descent, is a practicing Hindu. Tulsi chose to practice Hinduism as a teenager.
Tulsi’s first name is after a holy basil in Hinduism. She considers Bhagavad Gita as her spiritual guide. A practicing vegetarian, Gabbard follows the Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a religious sect started by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
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