Tulsi Gabbard exits presidential race, endorses Joe Biden

Tulsi Gabbard dropped her presidential bid, endorsing Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.

Rep.+Tulsi+Gabbard%2C+D-Hawaii+speaks+to+the+audience+during+a+meet-and-greet+at+Yotopia+in+Iowa+City+on+Tuesday%2C+April+16%2C+2019.+Attendees+gathered+to+listen+to+Gabbard+discuss+topics+such+as+defunding+regime+changing+wars%2C+environmental+policies%2C+and+medicare+for+all.

Wyatt Dlouhy

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii speaks to the audience during a meet-and-greet at Yotopia in Iowa City on Tuesday, April 16, 2019. Attendees gathered to listen to Gabbard discuss topics such as defunding regime changing wars, environmental policies, and medicare for all.

Caleb McCullough, Assistant Politics Editor

U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, exited the presidential race on Thursday, announcing an endorsement for former Vice President Joe Biden in a video on Twitter.

In the video, Gabbard addressed the coronavirus crisis that has upended life across the globe, saying she wanted to protect Americans’ health in congress and be ready to serve in the Hawaii Army National Guard, in which she’s a major, if needed.

She also announced an endorsement for Biden, making her the twelfth former Democratic presidential contender to formally support the former Vice President.

“Although I may not agree with the Vice President on every issue, I know that he has a good heart, and he’s motivated by his love for our country and the American people,” she said in the video.

Gabbard entered the presidential race with an anti-intervention message, her signature issue being ending “regime change” wars, wars in which the U.S. military enters a foreign country with the goal of replacing the government.

“I will continue to do everything that I can to help bring about an end to the new cold war and nuclear arms race, and end regime change wars which are costing us trillions of dollars, so that we can invest these precious resources in the needs of the American people,” she said.

Gabbard failed to get much support throughout the nominating process, not qualifying for later debates and floating around 1 percent in national polling averages.

She only picked up two delegates across 30 state and territory nominating contests, both from the American Samoa caucuses.

Despite struggling to gain traction with her campaign, Gabbard remained in the race longer than most, and her departure leaves only Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. in the race for the Democratic nomination.

After a poor showing in the first three state nominating contests, Biden has won most primaries since South Carolina and commands a 300-delegate lead over Sanders.