An interesting Democratic presidential contender

The Guardian reports:

Tulsi Gabbard, the Democratic US representative from Hawaii, said she will run for president in 2020, CNN reported on Friday.
“I have decided to run and will be making a formal announcement within the next week,” she said in an interview with CNN that is scheduled to air on Saturday.
Gabbard is a 37-year-old Iraq war veteran and the first Hindu and first Samoan-American elected to the US Congress. She said “the issue of war and peace” would be the main focus of her campaign.

I’ve been following Gabbard’s career with interest for a while.

She won’t win the nomination. At age 37 she is barely eligible to run. But if she does well, it sets her up well for the future.

She is in her fourth term in the House. She stands out as a Samoan American (father’s side) and a Hindu (mother’s side). She served in Iraq and Kuwait for two years, and before that was the youngest ever woman to be elected to a state legislature.

She enlisted at age 22 and volunteered to go to Iraq at age 23. She was a medic specialist in a combat zone. In 2007 she became a
second lieutenant and joined the Military Police. She then became a Captain and finally a Major, a rank she still holds in the Hawaii National Guard.

She is on the left of the party, and nominated Sanders at the Democratic convention. She was critical of Obama’s Syria policy and was considered by Trump for an appointment.

She is also photogenic and energetic – traits that may appeal both within the Democrats where many activists don’t want an old white man, but also in the general election as a contrast to Trump.

But again highly unlikely to win the nomination. But a good showing from her could set her up for 2024.