Oct. 23 (UPI) — Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic House representative for Hawaii who became an independent two years ago, announced Tuesday night during a rally for Donald Trump that she was joining the Republican Party.
“I’m proud to stand here with you today, President Trump, and announce that I’m joining the Republican Party,” she said on stage Tuesday with Trump during the rally in Greensboro, N.C.
For independent-thinkers like myself, there is no home in the Democrat Party. However, there is a home for us in the Republican Party.
The Republican Party of warmongering elite Dick Cheney is in the past. Trump’s GOP is a big open tent party of the people, equality,… pic.twitter.com/lz19KyYERf— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) October 23, 2024
The announcement came as little surprise as Gabbard has been sliding to the right of the political spectrum since even before March 2020, when she ended her campaign to be the Democratic Party’s nomination for president, which Joe Biden would eventually win on his way to the White House.
She was the only Democrat in 2019 to vote “present” to both articles of impeachment against Trump for withholding congressionally approved military aid from Ukraine to pressure President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate the business dealings of his political opponent’s son, Hunter Biden.
She has also been accused of spreading Russian propaganda concerning the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine.
She announced her status as an independent candidate in October of 2022, when she said she was going to campaign for Republican candidates.
Then, in August, she endorsed Trump for president. The next day, it was announced that she and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had joined the former New York real estate mogul’s transition team.
During her speech Tuesday night, Gabbard argued that the Democrat Party has no space for “independent-minded people like myself who love our country and are committed to the Constitution and to freedom.”
“But we do have a home in the Republican Party where we are welcomed with open arms by President Trump and so many of you who love our country.”
Her announcement of joining the Republican Party was met by cheers from the crowd.
“I’m joining the party of the people the party of equality, the party that was founded to fight slavery in this country,” she said. “It 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.”