Presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard reiterated a point GOP often makes and said that she was convinced that the impeachment of President Donald Trump helps him win reelection and will cost Democrats seats in the House of Representatives, Newsweek reported.
The Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman appeared on ABC News on Saturday where she spoke about her controversial decision last week to vote “present” rather than in favor of the two articles of impeachment held against Trump.
Gabbard argued that the fallout of the president getting acquitted by the Republican majority in the U.S. Senate could leave “lasting damage” across the United States. She went on to express her “serious concern” that Trump will win a second term and that Democrats could lose their current 233-197 majority in the House.
Gabbard was widely criticized by Democrats, and commended by Trump, after being the only congressional lawmaker to not choose a side in the impeachment. She said the process has only served to “embolden” Trump’s reelection campaign.
“I think impeachment, unfortunately, will only further embolden Donald Trump, increase his support and the likelihood that he’ll have a better shot at getting elected while also seeing the likelihood that the House will lose a lot of seats to Republicans,” Gabbard told an ABC News reporter in New Hampshire Saturday.
That same “zero-sum game” talking point has been widely disseminated by Republican leaders ranging from South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham to Louisiana Congressman Steve Scalise, who said Democrats are only pursuing impeachment to make up for a “weak” field of candidates.
Gabbard took on a tone similar to that of fellow Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang in expressing her hopes for moving the country forward, rather than left or right ideologically. “[My impeachment vote] was not a decision of neutrality,” she said, “[it was me] standing up for the people of this country and our ability to move forward together.
“Thinking about what’s politically advantageous, whether for me or for my party, does not enter into my mind around these decisions that have really great consequence,” Gabbard continued.
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