WASHINGTON, D.C., October 11, 2022—Former U.S. Representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district and 2020 presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard announced today that she is leaving the Democratic Party.
In her Twitter announcement, she accused Democratic Party leadership of being controlled by an “elitist cabal” who are driven by “cowardly wokeness” and “dragging” that country to nuclear war.
Gabbard did not indicate which party she would be affiliated with moving forward but called on “independent-minded Democrats” to join her in leaving the Democratic Party.
I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness, who divide us by racializing every issue & stoke anti-white racism, actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms, are… pic.twitter.com/oAuTnxZldf
— Tulsi Gabbard 🌺 (@TulsiGabbard) October 11, 2022
Below is a transcript of Gabbard’s Twitter post:
“I can no longer remain in today’s Democratic Party that is now under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers who are driven by cowardly wokeness. Who divide us by racializing every issue and stoking anti-white racism. Who actively work to undermine our God-given freedoms that are enshrined in our constitution. Who are hostile to people of faith and spirituality. Who demonize the police but protect criminals at the expense of law-abiding Americans. Who believe in open borders, who weaponize the national security state to go after their political opponents, and above all, who are dragging us ever closer to nuclear war.
“I believe in a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people.
“Unfortunately, today’s Democratic Party does not. Instead, it stands for a government of, by, and for the powerful elite.
“I am calling on my fellow commonsense independent-minded Democrats to join me in leaving the Democratic Party. If you can no longer stomach the direction that so-called woke Democratic Party ideologues are taking our country, I invite you to join me.”
Gabbard who was deployed to both Iraq and Kuwait, was elected to Hawaii House of Representatives in 2002. She was the vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) from 2013 to 2016 and resigned to endorse Bernie Sanders’ campaign for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. Then House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, called Gabbard “an emerging star” at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In February 2019, Gabbard officially launched her 2020 presidential campaign which ended in March 2020, after endorsing Joe Biden. Gabbard was succeeded by Kai Kahele in the House of Representatives on January 3, 2021. In January 2021, Gabbard launched her own podcast: This is Tulsi Gabbard.
