Tulsi Gabbard [View all]

I recently read about Tulsi Gabbard and her father, and it’s clear she was never truly a Democrat. The only reason they aligned with the Democratic Party was because they realized it was the only way to win elections in Hawaii. Her father even admitted this, having been a Republican before. Honestly, she shouldn’t have made it this far in politics—if Democrats had done their due diligence, she wouldn’t have won a primary.

What’s even more frustrating is that she was given a prominent role in the DNC. Thankfully, the party did one thing right: they made sure she didn’t become a senator when Daniel Inouye’s seat opened up, despite her attempts to position herself for it. I hadn’t even heard of her until her 2020 presidential campaign. I remember watching a Democratic debate back then, and even my wife—who isn’t very political—asked, “Why is a Republican at this debate?” after hearing her speak.

It’s evident that Tulsi Gabbard’s long-term plan was to infiltrate the Democratic Party and then use her platform to criticize it at key moments. Democrats need to do a much better job of vetting candidates during the primary process, especially in districts or states where winning the general election as a Democrat is almost assured. These conditions can attract opportunists like Gabbard, who may present themselves as Democrats only to pursue personal or alternative agendas later.