Washington: Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker from Hawaii in the US Congress, is considering to run for American presidency in 2020, according to sources close to her.
On Friday, at a Medtronic conference in Los Angeles an eminent Indian-American Dr Sampat Shivangi introduced Gabbard, 37, and said that she could be the next president of the US in 2020. The brief statement was marked by a standing ovation, in the presence of the four-term Congresswoman from the 50th US State.
Gabbard, a Democrat, who addressed the gathering, however neither confirmed or denied that she is running for president in 2020.
A decision on this could be taken before Christmas, which might not necessarily result in a formal announcement as that could be delayed till the next year, people familiar with her thinking process said. However, it is said that she and her team have quietly been reaching out to prospective donors, including a large number of Indian Americans, and volunteers to build an impressive campaign for her 2020 run.
Given that Gabbard is highly popular among Indian-Americans, a constituency she has nurtured from the very beginning of her political carrier, it is but natural that her team has quietly started reaching out to this community, which is considered the richest ethnic group after the Jewish Americans. And in many critical States, Indian Americans can play an important role in her electoral chances.
Gabbard is not Indian. She was born in American Samoa to a Catholic father (Hawaii State Senator Mike Gabbard) and her mother, Carol Porter Gabbard, is of Caucasian descent who professes Hinduism. Gabbard moved to Hawaii when she was two and embraced Hinduism as a teenager and is well-versed in the scriptures.
If Gabbard declares her presidential bid she would be the first Hindu candidate ever from a major political party to announce to enter the race for White House. And if elected in 2020, she could be the youngest ever and first woman to be elected as the US president. A Democrat, Gabbard last week was elected for the fourth term for the US House of Representatives.
