Former right-leaning Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii abandoned the Democratic Party and began endorsing Republican candidates for the 2022 midterm elections, New Republic said on Wednesday.
Gabbard endorsed some of the far-right Republicans seeking seats like Blake Masters in Arizona, Don Buldoc in New Hampshire, Adam Laxalt in Nevada, Kari Lake in Arizona and Tudor Dixon in Michigan. She endorsed 13 candidates and thus far 10 have lost. Those that won were two incumbents, Mike Lee for Utah and Kristi Noem for South Dakota and J.D. Vance for Ohio.
Gabbard appeared at CPAC earlier this year and has been a non-stop critic of Democrats since being ousted from her congressional seat. It has earned her a lot of support and attention from the GOP and conservative media, even standing in for Tucker Carlson. This week it was announced she scored a paid post on the Fox networks.
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"Though Gabbard’s endorsements have largely failed, her efforts are paying dividends for her own self-interest," New Republic said. "On Monday, MAGA Republican Matt Gaetz floated Gabbard as a potential speaker of the House candidate... If Gabbard expected to coast into the GOP on a red wave, one bolstered by her 'free-thinking' endorsements, she might be disappointed with the results."
Her failed endorsement are not unlike Donald Trump's, though his list is longer. The column said that like Trump she's managed to "fall upward." This week, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) suggested that she take over as Speaker of the House instead of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
