Tulsi Gabbard once ran for president as a Democrat, a move that put her on the national map politically.
Now she’s since left her old party and there were reports that the independent-minded Gabbard could join the most popular Independent presidential candidate currently running, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
Now Gabbard says the offer was extended, but she turned it down.
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Tulsi Gabbard: ‘I Respectfully Declined’
According to the New York Post, “Gabbard, 42, who left the Democrat Party in 2022 not long after her unsuccessful presidential bid, did not elaborate on why she opted against taking the opportunity.”
“I met with Kennedy several times, and we have become good friends,” Gabbard told ABC News.
The story continues:
“He asked if I would be his running mate. After careful consideration, I respectfully declined.”
Her name had been tossed around his veepstakes rumor mill for months as a potential contender, alongside former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura, NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and others.
Ultimately, the Kennedy scion went with a largely unknown individual — Silicon Valley lawyer Nicole Shanahan, 38, who had been a major backer of his presidential bid.
Shanahan is the ex-wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin, the 10th-richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. She bankrolled a controversial Super Bowl ad for Kennedy earlier this year.
Like Gabbard, Kennedy first ran for president as a Democrat in this cycle, but it quickly became clear that the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee weren’t having it. They wouldn’t allow Kennedy or his fellow Democratic White House candidate Marianne Williamson to debate Biden or even allow the traditional selection process.
Even though Kennedy was getting double digits in some polls.
Biden would be the 2024 Democratic nominee. Period.
So Kennedy switched his party affiliation to Independent in October.
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Kennedy Campaign Acknowledges That Talks Happened
According to a source close to Team Kennedy, it was confirmed that “There were definitely meetings, but it didn’t work out.”
“We talked to a bunch of people,” that source continued. “Tulsi’s a rock star no matter what.”
Yes, she is. And the former House member who now rails against “warmongers” in both parties isn’t going away anytime soon.
