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Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District election (August 11, 2018 Democratic primary)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 23 - Nov. 3
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
2020 →
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| Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: June 5, 2018 |
| Primary: August 11, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Tulsi Gabbard (Democrat) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voting in Hawaii |
| Race ratings |
Cook Political Report: Solid Democratic Inside Elections: Solid Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd Hawaii elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
Incumbent Tulsi Gabbard (D) won the Democratic primary for Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, receiving 83.6 percent of the vote to Sherry Alu Campagna's 12.3 percent.
Gabbard, a former vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) until she resigned to endorse Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, was named the most popular politician in Hawaii by a Honolulu Civil Beat poll released in May 2018.[1][2]
Gabbard criticized Syrian regime change as a U.S. policy objective. That put her at odds with party leaders such as Barack Obama (D) and Hillary Clinton (D). This resulted in The Atlantic referring to her as "The GOP’s Favorite Democrat" in 2017.[3][4][5]
Hesitation to condemn President Donald Trump's Syria policy was a reason Daily Kos cited to explain polling that showed Gabbard could have been vulnerable in a 2018 primary challenge. The poll showed her statewide favorability rating drop from 64-19 percent in 2015 to 50-29 percent in 2017.[6][7][8]
The National Education Association (NEA) endorsed environmental scientist and Women’s March organizer Sherry Alu Campagna (D). In its endorsement, the organization’s state affiliate criticized what it called Gabbard’s "continued lack of fighting for human and civil rights."[9][10]
Campagna differed from Gabbard on immigration policy, with the challenger calling for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).[11]
Challenger Anthony Tony Austin (D), who served as District Council representative and Delegate for Oahu at the time of the election, also ran against Gabbard. His policy stances included universal single-payer healthcare and combating climate change through legislation.[12]
Gabbard had a significant lead in fundraising as of July 22 with $2.23 million in cash on hand, ahead of Campagna’s $1,784 and Austin’s $94.[13]
Election results
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Hawaii District 2
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Tulsi Gabbard | 83.5 | 94,629 |
 | Sherry Alu Campagna | 12.3 | 13,947 | |
 | Anthony Tony Austin  | 4.1 | 4,688 | |
| Total votes: 113,264 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- John Reiss (D)
Top candidates
Tulsi Gabbard
Gabbard is a Democratic representative to the U.S. House representing Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District, first elected on November 6, 2012.[14][15][16]
The former vice chair of the DNC, she resigned from the position on February 28, 2016, and endorsed Bernie Sanders in the 2016 presidential election. She said in the endorsement, "I think it’s most important for us, as we look at our choices as to who our next commander in chief will be, is to recognize the necessity to have a commander in chief who has foresight, who exercises good judgment."[17] She was the first Hindu elected to Congress.[18] Prior to serving in Congress, Gabbard served in the Hawaii House of Representatives, representing District 42 from 2002 to 2004.[19]
Sherry Alu Campagna
Sherry Alu Campagna was a Democratic candidate seeking election to the U.S. House to represent Hawaii District 2. Campagna lost the primary on August 11, 2018. Campagna was one of the original national organizers of Women’s March. She also acted as commissioner on the Hawaii State Commission on the Status of Women (HSCSW).[20]
Candidates
Democratic primary candidates
- Tulsi Gabbard (Incumbent) ✔
- Anthony Tony Austin
- Sherry Alu Campagna
Did not make the ballot:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Endorsements
| Democratic candidate endorsements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Gabbard (I) | Campagna |
| Organizations | ||
| Hawaii State Teachers Association[21] | ✔ | |
| National Education Association[21] | ✔ | |
| American Women's Party [21] | ✔ | |
| Progressive Democrats of America[22] | ✔ | |
| American Federation of Teachers[22] | ✔ | |
| Hawaii Government Employees Association[22] | ✔ | |
| Sierra Club[22] | ✔ | |
| AFL-CIO[22] | ✔ | |
| International Longshore and Warehouse Union[22] | ✔ | |
| Moms Demand Action (For Gun Sense in America)[22] | ✔ | |
| Planned Parenthood Action Fund[22] | ✔ | |
| End Citizens United[22] | ✔ | |
| Our Revolution[22] | ✔ | |
| Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of Hawaii[22] | ✔ | |
| Seafarers Union[22] | ✔ | |
| Inland Boatman's Union[22] | ✔ | |
| United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America[22] | ✔ | |
| Hawaii Laborers Union[22] | ✔ | |
| Hawaii Plumbers Union[22] | ✔ | |
| UA International[22] | ✔ | |
| International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers[22] | ✔ | |
| Operation Honor[22] | ✔ | |
| International Union of Operating Engineers[22] | ✔ | |
| Hawaii Regional Council of Carpenters[22] | ✔ | |
| International Union of Painters and Allied Trades[22] | ✔ | |
| Food & Water Action[22] | ✔ | |
| International Laborers Union[22] | ✔ | |
| Honolulu Star Advertiser[22] | ✔ | |
| National Nurses United[22] | ✔ | |
| Public figures | ||
| Women's March Founder Teresa Shook[21] | ✔ | |
| Co-founder of Time's Up Amber Tamblyn[21] | ✔ | |
Campaign themes and policy stances
Anthony Tony Austin
| “ |
My Top Priorities if elected are: (1). Universal Single Payer HealthCare for all Residents. This is a system in which a single public or quasi-public agency organizes health care financing. All residents of the U.S. would be covered for all medically necessary services. (2). Combatting Global Warming through strategic mitigation and Legislation. Climate change is a very complex issue facing us today. Carbon dioxide, the heat-trapping greenhouse gas that has driven recent global warming, lingers in the atmosphere for years to come, and the planet takes time to respond to the warming. (3). Extending Benefits to Military Veterans who have suffered the effects of PTSD. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that PTSD afflicts almost 15 percent of Vietnam Veterans, as many as 12 percent of Gulf War Veterans, and 11 percent of Veterans of the war in Afghanistan. PTSD is not a sign of weakness. |
” |
| —Anthony Tony Austin for Congress[24] | ||
Sherry Alu Campagna
| “ |
Civil Rights Her focus includes:
ending discrimination of LGBTQ individuals in all levels of government,
Economy & Labor Sherry seeks to create an economically sustainable CD2, encouraging the growth of small businesses and quality job creation. Sherry will strive to accomplish this while supporting economic justice for all hardworking Americans by raising the minimum wage, linked in perpetuity to the CPI (Consumer Price Index or "inflation"), and supporting the reform of Hawaii’s regressive tax system to benefit those of us struggling to make ends meet. She will support federal cluster grants to the private sector to collaborate on the needs of local small businesses and identify resources for economic growth and job creation. With the private sector, Sherry will collaborate on a process to understand their regional economies by focusing on potential growth markets, identifying opportunities in the supply chain and investing in and supporting economic growth trends by filling in the gaps of the local supply chain. Sherry fully supports workers' rights to form unions and will work toward passing the Employee Free Choice Act to protect collective bargaining. Collective Bargaining plays a key role in ensuring economic justice and a living wage for millions of Americans. Education Investing in quality public education is an investment in Hawaii’s future. Ensuring a reliable funding stream for public education must be a top priority as well as diversifying funding sources such as taxing absentee homeowners who hold investment properties in Hawaii without living in our state. There is no good reason that our keiki should suffer from 90+ degree classrooms or lack of resources. Our keiki deserve the best education that our state can offer. Our public school teachers deserve job security and significantly higher pay, and both teachers and students deserve smaller class sizes. Sherry believes in restoring erosions in education which Secretary DeVos and the Trump Administration have recently implemented. We must have just, equitable, and quality education for all children in this country. Sherry will strive to create federal scholarship incentive programs to encourage college student to become teachers. She will also increase financial aid for online colleges and work-credit programs, fight to simplify financial aid programs (one grant, one loan, one repayment program), create a pathway for free tuition at community colleges, and amend FERPA to protect student data privacy. Environment As an environmental scientist, Sherry is firmly committed to protecting the ‘aina. She supports a national GMO labeling bill and other “right to know policies.” Sherry will fight to establish pesticide buffer zones to ensure the safety of keiki and pregnant mothers, preserve sacred water rights and protecting water as a “public trust,” and preserve off-grid living rights. Sherry also supports reef preservation, Native Hawaii fishing and organic farming practices, and will aggressively fight to combat climate change and ocean level rise. Gun Control U.S. Federal Courts recently decided that Assault Rifles are not covered by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Hawaii has some of the strongest gun-control laws in the nation and there is no good reason why the rest of the country cannot follow suit. Sherry will work to pass a Federal Assault Rifle Ban, prevent the unnecessary and dangerous movement to arm teachers, and ensure the end of mass shootings. Sherry strongly supports the student organizers of March for Our Lives and their 5-point policy agenda, and if elected, will make this agenda her priority in Congress, because human lives are non-negotiable. Read more about this policy plan and how it does not interfere with Second Amendment rights, here. Health CD2 lacks appropriate funding to provide easy access to quality healthcare choices and reproductive healthcare choices. Sherry believes that easy access to quality care is a fundamental human right and the kuleana of our government. She will fight to secure funding for veterans, new mommies and their babies, our kupuna, and people living with disabilities. If elected, Sherry will work hard to establish Medicare-for-All. Houselessness & Housing Hawaii ranks, many years in a row, among the highest number of houseless persons per-capita, in the nation. For too long, real solutions have been ignored. There are solutions to the poverty and lack of affordable housing that drive our sisters and brothers into houselessness. Sherry believes in restricting foreign purchases of Hawaii real estate, taxing existing absentee foreign landowners to fund low-cost housing solutions and public education, temporarily require 85% of enlisted non-resident military personnel stationed in Hawaii to live on base or in military housing, increase funding for HUD, undo Secretary Ben Carson’s $6 billion HUD cuts affecting the poor, and ensure federal funding of Hawaii’s Housing First programs. Sherry would also collaborate with the military to utilize unused military land for civilian use in affordable rentals (BRAC). Sherry believes in allocating federal funds to help the state encourage truly affordable housing by using federal dollars to pay for infrastructure costs that often inhibit the private sector from engaging in affordable housing projects. Human Services & Human Rights At the core of Sherry’s priorities is the well-being of Hawaii’s people. This is her kuleana. Sherry will prioritize funding and construction of affordable housing for our seniors who are most vulnerable to falling into poverty, protect lawful immigrants and DACA recipients from deportation, ensure funding for juvenile diversion programs to keep kids out of the highschool-to-prison pipeline, and establish a funding stream to combat and prevent human trafficking, as well as survivors’ care. Sherry supports comprehensive immigration reform that includes reinstating DREAMERS’ rights to citizenship. LGBTQ Rights Sherry firmly believes that LGBTQ individuals and families deserve the same rights as everyone else. These are not "special rights," but rights and liberties afforded to all Americans. She strongly supports Marriage Equality, safe schools for LGBTQ youth, fair housing practices, and enforcement of policies that protect the LGBTQ people of every age. Sherry has promised to make the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment one of her top priorities and will ensure that these rights and protections include the LGBTQ community. Sherry stands firmly against so-called "Conversion Therapy," which has been debunked by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Counseling Association, and the American Pediatric Association, et alia. Conversion Therapy is tantamount to child abuse with traumatic effects on LGBTQ-identified youth. Sherry not only supports policies that protect the civil rights of LGBTQ individuals, she also supports federal studies on the systemic discrimination of LGBTQ youth in schools, houselessness programs, and in hiring practices. Sherry will work hard to create improved oversight and pathways to justice when LGBTQ individuals are discriminated against in our criminal justice system, education, labor, marriage, adoptions, child custody, housing, and government. She will start by ensuring that LGBTQ data is collected and reported, with transparency and accuracy, by the U.S. Census. Native Hawaiians I believe that rural Hawaii can be a place of strong, safe, thriving communities where our children may grow up happy, building a life of their own. I believe that our liberation is tied to our economic success, and that success requires access to the resources which allow us to live with dignity, free from violence and poverty— these include access to homelands, water, a clean and sustainable environment, good schools, a robust Hawaiian-centered economy, and quality health care choices for Native Hawaiians. And I strongly believe that any actions taken to bring justice and empowerment to Native Hawaiians, benefits Hawaii as a whole. Ceded Lands I believe that ceded lands belong to Native Hawaiians. The State of Hawaii, by federal law, must pay to Native Hawaiians the revenues earned from activities on ceded lands. I believe that the current revenue of $15 million annually is a gross underestimation of what is truly owed and that the federal government should procure an assessment of the actual revenues generated on ceded lands. Payment of income and proceeds, by the State of Hawaiʻi to the Office of Hawaiian Affiars (OHA), as verified and proposed, is both right and just. For too long, Native Hawaiians have been the victims of the highest degree of theft. Generations of oppression made us vulnerable to the greed of a powerful few. This theft must end. By paying Native Hawaiians the rightful amount due from ceded land revenue, most, if not all of the societal problems affecting Hawaii’s entire populace would be ameliorated; issues such as poverty, houselessness, domestic violence, child abuse, prison reform, food insecurity, and human trafficking. Native Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in all of these areas, but with fair and appropriate funding from ceded lands, we would be able to best address these areas and see improved outcomes for Native Hawaiians and all of Hawaii.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) I believe, in the long term, that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs should exist independent of, and external to, the State of Hawaii, as originally envisioned by its founders to establish a Native Hawaiian Governing Entity. Establishment of such an entity requires vision, discipline, and collective effort through shared values. OHA and DHHL can begin to lead the way, each by stable and organized effort on behalf of beneficiaries. For OHA , the journey toward self-determination requires a transparent and accountable entity that exists primarily to empower its beneficiaries and without voting input from non-Native Hawaiians.
The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) I believe that Native Hawaiians value science, technology, and discovery. I also believe that Native Hawaiians have the right to protect our culture, history, and land. I strongly oppose any attempts to criminalize or vilify peaceful protestors on Mauna Kea who are, in fact, protected by the First Amendment. I oppose granting permits for TMT until the University of Hawaii brings its current Mauna Kea project sites into environmental compliance and repairs its relationship with Mauna Kea stakeholders. Having reached this impasse over TMT is regrettable, but this is not because of the Native Hawaiian community. Native Hawaiians have been trying to alert the public and government to the environmental issues on Mauna Kea long before TMT was proposed. As a community, we must not allow a land-user to disregard environmental law and our cultural sacred sites. Doing so creates an unconstitutional precedent for all future land development projects in Hawaii.
Water Rights Whether it be sacred water rights or basic water rights held in a public trust, I strongly believe in protecting and expanding water rights for Native Hawaiians. As the original protectors of the land and the water, we have an ancestral responsibility to respect the water, ensure its flow, use, and health in perpetuity for the land and all its people.
Education Recently, the current Secretary of Education with the U.S. Department of Education, Betsy DeVos, has clearly signaled her attack on the funding directly benefitting Native Hawaiian children in the public school system. I will work to protect this funding and work diligently to undo any act DeVos commits against the full funding of our public schools. In concert with my stance to protect the public education of children, I will ensure continued and increased funding for both public schools and public charter schools in order to provide quality education choices throughout our rural areas.
Housing and Houselessness Native Hawaiians are disproportionately represented in the houseless population in Hawaii. Hawaii ranks highest in houselessness per capita in the United States. I will work to end houselessness by supporting attainable housing solutions, sustainable tiny home communities, increased funding for Housing First services, and regulate (not abolish) vacation home rentals by supporting a cap on units offered by a single proprietor. I strongly support raising the federal minimum wage to $15/hour by 2020 and will work to link the federal minimum wage to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in perpetuity. A $15/hour minimum wage is only a temporary fix, so linking future increases of the federal minimum wage to CPI (inflation) will relieve us from the exhausting redundancy of having to fight for a living wage every year. I will also support a tax plan that alleviates the financial burdens of ohana living paycheck to paycheck and will work to expand social security in order to help keep seniors from spending their later years in poverty. National Security She firmly supports the end of Russian interference of the American electoral process, including securing voting methods and protecting people from troll bots and fabricated Kremlin-made news. If elected, Sherry will support the Honest Ads Act and the end of unwarranted surveillance of American citizens. Sherry will seek to end the conflict in Syria but continue sanctions on the Assad Regime for the killing of over 500,000 Syrians and displacement of over 13 million men, women, and children. She firmly supports funding humanitarian aid efforts for families fleeing Syria and supports Syrian refugees entry into the United States. Women Charting a path forward on women’s issues would have had been simpler a year ago but under the current administration all women’s rights are under attack. As a women’s rights advocate, Sherry has the proven track record to protect our rights while partnering to undo the damage done by Trump– policies threatening access to reproductive health, funding for anti domestic violence services, and Title IX. Sherry also seeks to pass the Equal Rights Amendment. |
” |
| —Sherry Campagna for Congress[25] | ||
Tulsi Gabbard
| “ |
Affordable housing / High cost of living Families who've lived here for generations are leaving Hawaii because they can't afford housing and food. The cost of living in Hawaii is amongst the highest in the nation and every day many families struggle just to get by. The people of Hawaii need more truly affordable housing. I've long advocated building up--rather than out--on Oahu to make the most of our limited space, preserving as much open space and agricultural land as possible. The people of Hawaii are being priced out of the housing market. We've become a playground for the wealthy--condos/homes sell for millions, yet sit empty 90% of the time, and other homes are used as vacation rentals, increasing the price for all of Hawaii's housing. Vast shortages of affordable housing nationwide, especially in states like Hawaii, make it increasingly difficult for families with limited resources to find a safe place to live, to put food on the table, and to make basic ends meet. One result of this is increasing numbers of homeless individuals and families. In some of Hawaii's more rural communities, homelessness has increased by over 46% in the last two years. I'll continue to advocate for more affordable housing units through public and private projects, discouraging housing and land speculation, ensuring "affordable" housing units are actually affordable, and stay that way--not flipped and sold for profit (like the scandal occurring now in Kakaako). We need to take action to better serve our most vulnerable populations, by streamlining many of the regulations that burden families in Hawaii and across the country, and increasing flexibility to empower state and local housing agencies, as well as private owners/developers, to develop new housing units, and creating new housing options in areas where housing vouchers are difficult to use. This housing shortage is a crisis that will require every level of government, the private sector, and community taking action towards a solution. Campaign Finance Reform Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is committed to taking big money superpacs out of politics, and empowering the people. Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is committed to campaign finance reform, taking big money superpacs out of politics, and empowering the people and their voices in our democracy. In Congress, Tulsi has co-sponsored legislation like H.R.20, the Government By the People Act, which would give every citizen a voucher worth up to $50 through a "My Voice Tax Credit" for campaign contributions in $5 increments. It also aims to make small donations as influential as large donations by matching any donation on a six-to-one level through the establishment of a Freedom From Influence Fund. For example, if someone gets 30 friends to pledge $50 each, that's $1,500. Then when you put in the 6-to-1 matching contribution multiplier, that's an additional $9,000, bringing the total up to $10,500. In Congress, Tulsi will:
Civil Liberties Tulsi has been a champion for Americans’ civil liberties, and reigning in the NSA’s mass collection of every American’s data. Tulsi has been a champion for Americans' civil liberties, and reigning in the NSA's mass collection of every American's data. She has received an A+ rating from Restore the Fourth. Protecting Americans’ Privacy Tulsi's floor speech calling for defunding NSA dragnet spying on millions of Americans Protecting Americans' Privacy Tulsi Gabbard House Floor Speech June 19, 2014 Our number one priority is keeping the American people safe. We do that by focusing our resources on those who actually pose a threat to our safety while upholding the freedoms and civil liberties of the American people - not by continuing this dragnet spying on millions of Americans. There is no evidence to date that those programs have made our country more secure. Not a single tax payer dollar should be used to fund a program that spies on innocent Americans, violating the principals of liberty and freedom that so many have fought and given their lives for. COFA migration Back in 1996, Congress made a misguided decision in passing legislation that took away federal Medicaid benefits for migrants from Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands. Back in 1996, Congress made a misguided decision in passing legislation that took away federal Medicaid benefits for migrants from Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands. This has placed a major unfunded mandate on the backs of Hawaii taxpayers, with the bill totaling $30 to $40 million a year to pay for health services for COFA migrant families. In May 2015, I joined with Senator Schatz, Senator Hirono, and Rep. Takai in introducing the "Restoring Medicaid for Compact of Free Association Migrants Act." This legislation would reinstate Medicaid benefits for COFA migrants. We need to continue working toward the passage of this legislation to right a wrong that has gone on for far too long. The federal government made a promise to these individuals, and it must uphold that commitment. Another important piece of legislation that I've cosponsored is H.R. 854, the "Compact-Impact Aid Act of 2015." This bill would appropriate $185 million in federal funding to help states, like Hawaii, to help defray costs for providing services to COFA migrants. Economy and Jobs Improving the economy and creating jobs will always be one of my top priorities. We must continue to support our local economy by providing tax credits for businesses that hire workers who have been unemployed for more than six months; eliminate redundant and unnecessary bureaucracy and regulations that make it hard for entrepreneurs and small businesses to start and succeed; end tax breaks for corporations that outsource jobs overseas; reduce payroll taxes for small business owners; and support legislation that provides more access and opportunity to capital for small business owners. In Hawaiʻi, small businesses are the heart of our economy and our community. Overall, they represent over 90% of employers and provide jobs for over 50% of our private sector workforce. Tulsi Gabbard We must continue to ensure that Hawaii becomes the destination of choice for green energy startups, such as wind, solar, geothermal, ocean thermal, wave, and biofuels technologies. We should provide tax breaks and other incentives for green and high technology businesses to locate here. Such industries not only provide good jobs for our people, but will help us achieve greater energy self-sufficiency. To increase our food production and build up our agricultural base, I continue to support tax breaks and incentives for small farmers so we are less dependent on food imports and move toward a truly sustainable future. I will continue to ensure our tax system incentivizes domestic job creators vs. those exporting jobs to other countries, and fight against destructive trade deals that benefit corporations on the backs of American workers who suffer as a result. End the War in Syria End the illegal, counterproductive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad Tulsi is the leading voice in Congress calling for an end America's interventionist wars of regime change that have cost our nation trillions of dollars and thousands of lives. She has introduced a resolution that would end our illegal and counterproductive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad which is creating more devastation, human suffering, and refugees while strengthening terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda. In 2012, the United States began a covert military campaign to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad in alliance with Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Turkey. As a result of that regime change war, more than 400,000 Syrians have been killed and millions have fled their homes as refugees. Furthermore, because of the chaos and weakening of Syrian government forces by the United States and our partners, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations have been strengthened, presenting an even greater threat to the Middle East and the world. Meanwhile, in 2014, the U.S. launched military operations with Kurdish and Syrian Arab forces to defeat ISIS in Syria. As a result, the United States is now simultaneously involved in two contradictory wars in Syria. The first is the war to defeat ISIS--a war we must take seriously and must win. The second is the counterproductive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad--an illegal war that Congress has not authorized and which we must end. Normally in war, the enemy of our enemy is our friend. But in these contradictory wars in Syria, the enemy of our enemy is our enemy. The absurdity is that the more we are successful in weakening Syrian government forces, the more our enemies like ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other jihadists are strengthened. Every Syrian soldier we and our Saudi partners kill is one less soldier available to fight against ISIS. There is no doubt that Assad is a brutal dictator, but common sense tells us that if we want to defeat ISIS and other Islamist extremist groups, we need to immediately end the illegal and counterproductive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. We must focus our efforts one-pointedly on defeating ISIS, as well as al-Qaeda (al-Nusra) and other jihadist groups who have declared war on the United States. If we were to end our war against the Syrian government of Assad, then and only then will it be possible for us to defeat ISIS and these other extremist groups. Environment Tulsi is a lifelong environmentalist who started an environmental non-profit as a teenager, and has a proven record of defending our air, land, and water. Tulsi has been endorsed by the Sierra Club, League of Conservation Voters, and Ocean Champions, among others. Tulsi has consistently voted against the keystone pipeline and other forms of environmentally-damaging energy and has voted for efforts to combat climate change, support clean energy, and in other ways protect our fragile environment. That’s why the League of Conservation voters has given Tulsi a “lifetime” pro-environment score of 97% and a score of 100% in 2015. Honored with the “Friend of the National Parks” award from the National Parks Conservation Association for her support of the National Park System. Cosponsored HR 4811 (114th), the Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2016, that would allow federal agencies to award grants to efforts that promote coral reef research and conservation. Cosponsored H.Res. 540 (114th), a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the policies of the US should support a number of green energy policies, including: a transition to near zero greenhouse gas emissions, 100% clean renewable energy, infrastructure modernization, green jobs, affording energy, and for avoiding adverse impacts of a changing climate. We are pleased to endorse Tulsi Gabbard. She’s been a solid champion for Hawai’i families’ health, air, food and water as the Congressional District 2 Representative. ROBERT HARRIS, DIRECTOR OF THE SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAII Since entering the House, Tulsi Gabbard has been steadfast in rebutting calls to build the Keystone XL pipeline. She’s instead used her leadership platform to advocate for increasing America’s renewable energy supply. She’s also a strong champion for organic agriculture and GMO labeling. SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAII Tulsi Gabbard is a clear leader on environmental issues. She understands the importance of protecting Hawaii’s special places, and helping preserve our environment for Hawaii’s keiki. LUCIENNE DE NAIE, SIERRA CLUB OF HAWAII VICE-CHAIR GMO-Labeling Tulsi is a leading advocate for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food. Tulsi is a leading advocate for mandatory labeling of genetically engineered (GE) food. Last year, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was recognized by Food Policy Action as a top advocate for improving our nation's food system, for her strong support of transparent and sensible food policy. and for fighting against the DARK (Deny Americans the Right to Know) Act. Tulsi is an original co-sponsor of H.R. 913, the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act, which would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to label foods containing genetically-engineered ingredients. H.R. 913 is currently being considered in the House Energy and Commerce committee. Tulsi also co-sponsored the bipartisan Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act (H.R. 1699). Gun Control Tulsi has a consistent record of advocating for sensible gun control. Tulsi has a consistent record of advocating for sensible gun control. She has long called for reinstating a federal ban on military-style assault weapons and high capacity magazines, requiring comprehensive pre-purchase background checks, closing the gun-show loophole, and making sure that terrorists are not allowed to buy guns. Tulsi has an F-rating from the NRA, a 0% rating by the Hawaii Rifle Association, and a 100% rating by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. She is focused on building bipartisan solutions that can actually be passed into law, rather than using the issue as a partisan political football. Tulsi Gabbard on Gun Control Measures Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R. 5087, The Assault Weapons Ban of 2018, which would regulate the importation, manufacture, possession, sale or transfer of assault weapons. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.Res. 367 to Establish the Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention (2017). This resolution establishes the House Select Committee on Gun Violence Prevention to investigate and report on: the causes of mass shootings, methods to improve the federal firearms purchaser background check system, connections between access to firearms and dangerously mentally ill individuals, strengthening federal penalties for trafficking and straw purchasing of firearms, closing loopholes that allow some domestic abusers continued access to firearms, linkages between firearms and suicide, gun violence's effect on public health, the correlation between state gun violence prevention laws and the incidence of gun violence, the importance of having reliable and accurate information on gun violence and its toll on our nation, the implementation of effective gun violence prevention laws in accordance with the Second Amendment to the Constitution, and rates of gun violence in large metropolitan areas. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R. 3947, The Automatic Gunfire Prevention Act (2017), which makes it illegal for any person to import, sell, manufacture, transfer, or possess a trigger crank, a bump-fire device, or any accessory that is designed to accelerate the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R.3999 (2017). This bill amends Title 18 of the United States Code to prohibit the manufacture, possession, or transfer of any part or combination of parts that is designed to increase the rate of fire of a semiautomatic rifle, but does not convert the semiautomatic rifle into a machine gun. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R. 2670, The Protecting Domestic Violence and Stalking Victims Act (2017), which would protect more victims of domestic violence by preventing their abusers from possessing or receiving firearms. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.Res. 370 to Amend the Rules of the House of Representatives to require that a standing committee hearing be held whenever there is a moment of silence in the House for a tragedy involving gun violence (2017). This resolution would also require the Speaker, whenever a moment of silence related to a tragedy in the United States or its territories involving gun violence occurs on the floor of the House, to announce on the next legislative day the standing committee or subcommittee designated to hold a hearing on the event. Tulsi is a cosponsor of H.R.4365, The Domestic Violence Loophole Closure Act (2017). The bill requires the prompt reporting for national instant criminal background check system purposes of members of the Armed Forces convicted of domestic violence offenses under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Tulsi voted against H.R.38, The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017. This bill amends the federal criminal code to allow individuals to carry a concealed handgun into another state that allows individuals to carry concealed firearms. The bill specifies that a qualified individual who lawfully carries or possesses a concealed handgun in another state is not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone, and may carry or possess the concealed handgun in federally owned lands that are open to the public. Tulsi voted against H.J.Res.40 (2017) to provide for congressional disapproval under Chapter 8 of Title 5 of the United States Code of the rule submitted by the Social Security Administration relating to Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007. This joint resolution nullifies the "Implementation of the NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007" rule finalized by the Social Security Administration on December 19, 2016. The rule implements a plan to provide to the National Instant Criminal History Background Check System the name of an individual who meets certain criteria, including that benefit payments are made through a representative payee because the individual is determined to be mentally incapable of managing them. Infrastructure Like most of the country, Hawaii’s infrastructure needs are great. Last year, Congress came together to pass a long overdue transportation and infrastructure bill that reauthorized critical funding for our highways, bridges and other infrastructure, transportation safety, and public transit projects in Hawaii and across the country for the next 5 years. We must continue to ensure the federal government prioritizes its' investment in infrastructure, especially at our airports. I continue to work with key stakeholders as we make progress toward opening a second international port for Hawaii in Kona, which would be key to revitalizing Kona's tourism economy, but would also ensure that our state has an alternative should Honolulu International Airport face an emergency of some sort. LGBT/Marriage Equality Since being elected to Congress, Tulsi has consistently fought for LGBT and marriage equality. As a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus in the House, Tulsi has advocated for LGBT Housing/Privacy rights, to end bullying and harassment in schools and has co-sponsored numerous bills including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Respect for Marriage Act, the Healthy Families Act, the Equality Act and the Safe Schools Improvement Act. She has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign (View endorsements). Standing Up for LGBT Rights and Marriage Equality I believe that equal treatment and opportunity are fundamental rights for all Americans. Discrimination on the basis of national origin, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, gender, or race undermines core American principles of respect and individual freedom. We have an obligation to fight against discrimination, whatever the form. I will continue to work with partners at the federal, state, and local level to ensure all individuals are treated equally under the law regardless of race, sex, religion, age, sexual orientation, and gender identity. The government should not deny those in same-sex relationships the right to marry and enjoy the same benefits, rights, and responsibilities as opposite-sex married couples. Government and political leaders like myself should have no place in determining the most personal aspects of our lives. Government officials should not have the power to declare one relationship ‘morally’ superior to another. As long as the government administers marriages and its benefits, it must remain neutral and treat all Americans as equal. -TULSI GABBARD 'Medicare and Social Security Tulsi is committed to protecting Medicare and Social Security. Tulsi is committed to protecting Medicare and Social Security, preserving the safety net that cares for those most in need. The Alliance for Retired Americans gave Gabbard a 93% grade because she has voted/pledged to protect social security from privatization. Native Hawaiian Issues The US overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893 is a great injustice. I'm honored to have spent time working with my mentor and friend, Senator Daniel K. Akaka. The first Native Hawaiian elected to the United States Congress, Senator Akaka passed the Apology Resolution which acknowledges the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii and acknowledges that the Native Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to inherent sovereignty as a people. On the path forward, regardless of the mechanism or process in getting there, Native Hawaiians, as a people, should be empowered to determine their own future and what kind of relationship they choose to have with the U.S. federal government. The challenge we continue to face in Congress is a failure by many to recognize Native Hawaiians as indigenous people. Native Hawaiian services and programs are constantly under attack. It's important for us to work together, to find the path forward that best serves the interests of current and future generations of Native Hawaiians. Net Neutrality Tulsi has been fighting to keep the internet open and available to all. Tulsi has fought to keep the internet open and available to all, co-sponsoring legislation that prohibits multi-tiered pricing agreements for the privileged few. Red Hill The 27,000-gallon fuel spill which occurred at Red Hill in 2013 remains an issue of great concern. The 27,000-gallon fuel spill which occurred at Red Hill in 2013 remains an issue of great concern due to the risk this, and the potential for future leaks/spills, have on one of our main aquifers serving over 25% of Oahu. The finalized agreement between Department of Health, EPA, and the Navy is woefully inadequate. The Red Hill fuel storage facility was built during a critical time during World War II, and has supplied fuel for military operations in the Pacific since 1943. However, the reality is today, no such underground fuel storage facility would ever be allowed to be built over a water aquifer. While there are many concerns with the current plan, there are 4 primary issues that must be addressed by the Parties to the AOC: 1. Advanced leak detection and corrosion prevention Existing leak detection practices are insufficient and inadequate to prevent another leakage of thousands of gallons of fuel into our aquifer. There should be hourly inspections of fuel levels in all tanks, automated systems that sound alarms upon any change in fuel levels, and an expedited plan to empty a tank as soon as a leak is detected, to prevent further fuel leaks from the tanks and potential groundwater contamination. 2. Install secondary containment/double-lining or better The Navy has conducted multiple studies, including two in 1998 and 2008 that reached the same conclusion: To keep our water safe, we must double-line the fuel tanks. Moreover, beginning next year, the EPA will require all new underground fuel storage tanks to be secondarily contained. Rather than conduct yet another study, we should move forward quickly with providing this essential level of protection through secondary containment. 3. Address the fuel that's already been spilled No real remediation attempt has been made to identify exactly where this fuel went, how much got into the water, or how much has been soaked into the bedrock which separates the tanks from the aquifer. Multiple tests have confirmed that leaked fuel is in the groundwater underneath Red Hill. All efforts should be made to clean the contaminated groundwater and ensure the bedrock doesn't serve as a continued source of pollution. 4. Cost Cost-considerations related to improvements and clean-up must not compromise the end result. The Navy and DLA are concerned about the total cost of improvements to the existing facility or relocation of the tanks. What must be understood, however, is that if immediate action is not taken, the costs of contaminated ground water clean-up, and the resulting hardship for Oahu residents would be infinitely greater. Conclusion: It's critical that the Navy reconsider alternative fuel storage options in Hawaii and the Asia-Pacific region that would decrease overall risk to our groundwater, and provide potential cost-savings in the long run. If relocation is not feasible, then, at a minimum, the Navy should immediately take action to eliminate the constant threat of fuel contamination to Oahu's drinking water resources. As the most isolated island chain in the world, the necessity to protect our water resources in Hawaii cannot be overstated. The actions we take now not only impact the health and safety of our current generations, but every generation to come. Renewable Energy We need to continue to seek ways to grow Hawaii’s renewable energy industry, while also attracting high-tech jobs to Hawaii. Hawai`i has quickly become a national and world leader in advancing renewable energy. In 2015, our state made huge strides when we became the first state in the country to establish a law to set a goal of reaching 100% renewable energy by 2045. Hawai`i Island is already near 50%. Our state is blessed with incredible renewable energy resources, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, and geothermal, which we must harness to leave fossil fuels behind. I will continue my work to ensure that Hawai`i becomes the destination of choice for green energy startups, including wind, solar, biomass, and wave energy technology. I will continue to work to provide tax and other incentives for green and high technology businesses to locate in Hawai`i. In Congress, I'm advocating for our federal government to follow the path of Hawai`i by adopting a federal standard for renewable energy in order to make this transition at a quicker pace. We should also extend the wind production tax credit and solar investment tax credit to support the clean energy economy across our country. We should eliminate federal subsidies of the vastly profitable fossil fuel industry. Divestment from fossil fuels is the way of the future, and I'm hopeful that more of our businesses, universities, and retirement systems will choose this path. The "war on terror" Tulsi outlines four things we must do in order to defeat ISIS and other jihadist groups that have declared war on the United States. To defeat ISIS and other jihadist groups that have declared war on the United States, we must do four things: 1. We must immediately end the illegal and counterproductive war to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad. There is no question that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is a brutal dictator. However, we must focus on defeating our enemy, ISIS, al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations--not engage in another failed attempt at regime change like we did in Iraq and Libya. As long as we continue to be distracted by the war to overthrow Assad and continue to strengthen our enemies by weakening the Syrian government, we will not be able to defeat ISIS, al-Qaeda (al-Nusra), and other jihadist groups who have declared war on the United States. Only if we end our war against the Syrian government of Assad will it be possible to defeat ISIS and other jihadist groups. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on CNN's The Situation Room w/ Wolf Blitzer - September 30, 2015 [2/2]
By working with local partners on the ground, providing advice and air support, along with Special Forces teams who can launch quick strike missions, we can overwhelm ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations and have in place local elements securing and governing the territory retaken. It is encouraging that President Obama has recently begun exploring ways for the U.S. and Russia to work together to defeat ISIS. It is critical that we remain willing to ally with Russia, Syrian forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga, and any other forces that are willing to fight against our common enemy. It is encouraging that President Obama has recently begun exploring ways for the U.S. and Russia to work together to defeat ISIS. It is critical that we remain willing to ally with Russia, Syrian forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga, and any other forces that are willing to fight against our common enemy. We formed such distasteful alliances during WWII— working, for instance, with Stalin--which proved essential to defeating Hitler’s Nazi Germany—and now we must be willing to ally with Russia and others with whom we share a common enemy in ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations that have declared war on civilization. We need to stop trying to create mini-America style centralized governments in the Middle East. We tried this in Iraq, but it’s clear that this has only led to a nation that exists in name only due to the Kurds and Sunnis continued persecution and domination by the Shia-led government. Similarly, we will not be able to bring about a unified government in Syria, which is a lot more divided and chaotic than Iraq ever was. And as long as the civil wars continue, ISIS, al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups will remain and continue to grow stronger and more of a global threat. Once the U.S. and our allies stop trying to overthrow the Syrian government of Assad, then we can immediately focus our efforts one-pointedly on defeating ISIS, al-Qaeda, and the other terrorist organizations in a coordinated, cooperative fashion with Russia, the Syrian government, the Kurds, Sunni tribes, France, and the UK. 3. There must be a political solution. We must encourage and support the creation of semi-autonomous regions in the areas now called Syria and Iraq so that the various sects—the Sunnis, Shiites, and Kurds—are able to take care of their own governance and security. The dominance and persecution of one sect over another in Iraq is part of what allows ISIS and other Islamist organizations to gain a foothold there. As a result, arriving at a political solution that minimizes sectarian conflict is key to preventing ISIS and other terrorist organizations from continuing to spread and grow. 4. We must defeat ISIS and other Islamist militants ideologically. In order to defeat the enemy, we need to clearly identify them. We must defeat them in the ideological war, not just on the battlefield. In order to defeat their ideology, we need to recognize what their ideology is. The ideology that inspires those fighting for ISIS, al-Qaeda, al-Nusra and other jihadist organizations is loosely referred to as “Islamism” and can be more specifically identified as Wahhabism. It is the ideology promoted and spread primarily by Saudi Arabia teaching that anyone who does not accept that particular interpretation of Islam must be converted, killed, or in other ways punished. On the Islamists’ list of those who must be killed or punished are Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, and followers of other Muslim sects such as Shias, Sufis, and non-Wahhabist Sunnis. This radical Wahhabist ideology attracts and motivates recruits who are taught that killing “non-believers” is a religious obligation and that any martyr who dies while killing non-believers will be rewarded in heaven. The United States must use its leverage to pressure Saudi Arabia to stop spreading the Wahhabist extremist ideology through schools and mosques around the world, including in the U.S. We must stop arms sales and any other assistance to Saudi Arabia or other Gulf States involved in promoting and financing this jihadist ideology. The U.S. must stop treating as “allies” countries that are promoting the Wahhabist ideology that is at the root of so much suffering worldwide. By calling terrorists like al-Qaeda and ISIS “Islamic extremists” we are making a distinction between the vast majority of Muslims who are not extremists and a handful of those who are extremists. This is the best way to show our respect to peaceful Muslims around the world. Tulsi's position was recently confirmed by a well-respected Muslim activist in Pakistan: Congresswoman Gabbard is absolutely on the mark in presenting an outline of a policy that should clearly identify Salafi-Wahhabi and Deobandi ideology as the ideology of hate and terror, worse than even Nazism, because it is much more violent. It will also ease the pressure on the common Muslims who can publicly disassociate themselves from these cults. The clear identification of terrorist ideology will actually be a blessing for ordinary Muslims who will whole heartedly join government efforts in rooting out this violent and hateful ideology from the country, and hopefully, the world. LET US BUILD PAKISTAN: HTTPS://LUBPAK.COM/ARCHIVES/349466 Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is a bad deal for the American people. We cannot allow this agreement to forsake the American middle class, while foreign governments are allowed to devalue their currency and artificially prop-up their industries. The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal is a bad deal for the American people. This historically massive trade deal -- accounting for 40 percent of global trade -- would reduce restrictions on foreign corporations operating within the U.S., limit our ability to protect our environment, and create more incentives for U.S. businesses to outsource investments and jobs overseas to countries with lower labor costs and standards. Over and over we hear from TPP proponents how the TPP will boost our economy, help American workers, and set the standards for global trade. The International Trade Commission report released last May (https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4607.pdf) confirms that the opposite is true. In exchange for just 0.15 percent boost in GDP by 2032, the TPP would decimate American manufacturing capacity, increase our trade deficit, ship American jobs overseas, and result in losses to 16 of the 25 U.S. economic sectors. These estimates don't even account for the damaging effects of currency manipulation, environmental impacts, and the agreement's deeply flawed Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) process. There's no reason to believe the provisions of this deal relating to labor standards, preserving American jobs, or protecting our environment, will be enforceable. Every trade agreement negotiated in the past claimed to have strong enforceable provisions to protect American jobs -- yet no such enforcement has occurred, and agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) have resulted in the loss of hundreds of thousands of American jobs. Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has called TPP "NAFTA on steroids." The loss of U.S. jobs under the TPP would likely be unprecedented. The American people have been left out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership from the beginning and the results show. From an ISDS process that allows foreign corporations to overrule our domestic rule of law, to unenforceable labor and environmental protections, to no protections against currency manipulation, this deal helps the corporate class while selling out working Americans and their families. The American people deserve a better future that empowers our middle class and domestic economy; that protects people and our planet. Tulsi Gabbard As the gateway to Asia and the Pacific, jobs in Hawaii will be among the first to be affected. Skilled workers in Hawaii and across America won't be able to compete against international minimum wages in many of the countries that are part of the TPP, some of which are below $3 a day for labor. Core to our nation's democracy, is our sovereignty and our ability to set and enforce our own standards and laws. The Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) process gives enormous power to foreign corporations and negates our domestic rule of law. Foreign corporations should not have rights in any country that supersede the rights of local citizens and the law of the land. A tribunal of three trade lawyers who have the power to make judgments about the legitimacy of sovereign environmental, public health, or national security law and decisions goes against the foundation of our democracy. In the last few months alone, we have seen evidence of the danger of ISDS: Last year the Administration chose to reject the Keystone Pipeline XL on environmental grounds. Now, using ISDS, TransCanada is suing the U.S. Government for more than $15 billion to compensate them not only for expenses, but also projected profits. Best case scenario: The U.S. wins this suit after spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars defending ourselves, making it much harder for future administrations to make courageous environmental decisions. Worst case scenario: We lose the case, taxpayers fork over $15 billion, and our sovereignty and domestic rule of law is completely undermined. Future leaders will be forced to think twice about rejecting a corporate project on environmental grounds. Rep Tulsi Gabbard Reaffirms Opposition to Harmful Trans Pacific Trade Deal I'm going to do everything I can to oppose this trade deal that will have devastatingly negative impacts on the American people and our domestic economy. Tulsi Gabbard This deal promises free trade but does nothing to address currency manipulation. At least 5 million American jobs were lost in the last decade as a result of currency manipulation by our trading partners. A few months of unfair currency practices can decimate an entire U.S. industry. The American steel, aluminum, and auto manufacturing sectors cannot survive another shock from aggressive foreign currency devaluation. The United Auto Workers estimate that U.S. vehicles cost up to $5,000 dollars more in certain markets because of currency manipulation. We cannot allow this agreement to forsake the American middle class, while foreign governments are allowed to devalue their currency and artificially prop-up their industries. Foreign government-supported industries are already dumping huge amounts of artificially cheap steel into the United States, causing American steel companies to struggle to survive. This is not just about changing economies. This agreement will allow foreign governments to openly cheat the system, while we tell American workers to "retrain" and find another line of work. Because of these and other concerns in the TPP, I will continue to do all that I can to defeat this legislation if and when it comes before Congress for a yea or nay vote. Universal Healthcare All Americans should have access to affordable healthcare. Our present healthcare system is organized by and for the benefit of big insurance and pharmaceutical companies and not the American people. This must change. While the Affordable Care Act was a step towards insuring roughly 20 million Americans, many issues remain with the Affordable Care Act, including escalating costs and high copayments/deductibles. Most importantly, 27 million Americans are still uninsured. All Americans should have access to affordable healthcare through Medicare or a public option. We must ensure universal healthcare and empower the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to bring down the price of prescription drugs. Veterans & Armed Forces As a nation, we owe a great debt to our veterans. It is an obligation and responsibility that I take very seriously. There are more than 116,000 veterans in Hawai`i, and even though we span generations and different conflicts, we are all one family. The bond between veterans, and the camaraderie that exists among those who have worn the uniform and served, is something very special, different from anything I've ever known. Two veterans, who have never met, can look each other in the eye and know exactly what sacrifice the other has gone through, without even saying a word. I honor the brave men and women who served and continue to serve in our military, and who risk their lives to protect the freedoms we all enjoy as Americans. As a captain in the Hawai`i National Guard who served two combat tours in the Middle East, I know firsthand the sacrifices our warriors make to protect and defend our great nation. It is my great honor and privilege to stand with and serve with such heroes. As a nation, we owe a great debt to our veterans. It is an obligation and responsibility that I take very seriously. Tulsi Gabbard As a nation, we owe a great debt to our veterans. It is an obligation and responsibility that I take very seriously. In between tours of duty, I worked as an aide to Senator Akaka in Washington D.C. One of my chief areas of responsibility was Veterans' Affairs issues. I experienced firsthand how the decisions our leaders make in Washington have a direct impact on the lives of our veterans, their families and loved ones. I want all veterans to know that in me, they have a fellow veteran who will champion and advocate for them, and will never stop fighting for them and their families. Rep Tulsi Gabbard: Honoring Veterans, need to go beyond lip-service to action
Therefore, I support President Obama's efforts to incentivize businesses to hire veterans, and his support of military families. I also support efforts to improve the GI Bill to allow veterans to develop skills that will help them in the workplace. And I will steadfastly oppose any efforts to cut funding for any programs designed to support service members, veterans, and their families. Fighting for Health Care for Veterans
Tulsi Gabbard, on the House Floor At the peak of the VA crisis, when it was clear that our veterans needed immediate access to physicians and that it was simply not acceptable to wait for all the systemic problems with the VA to be fixed before we addressed health care access, Tulsi introduced bipartisan legislation allowing veterans immediate access to private physicians, and advocated nationally, calling for this immediate change to allow for this access. Congress passed bipartisan VA health reform legislation into law in record time, which included a provision, based on Tulsi's proposal, to allow veterans access to private health care. Veterans Embody the Value of Selfless Service Recognizing the value that veterans bring to our community is so very important. Veterans have had a unique experience; they have actually been ready to sacrifice their lives for our country. Veterans embody the value of selfless service and sacrifice. And no matter what their job was in the military, veterans bring with them the ability to work as a member of the team to accomplish the task at hand, the discipline to stay with a task until it's successfully completed, and the determination to persevere no matter how difficult the assignment. As elected officials, employers, and as a state and country, it is crucial that we uphold our end of the bargain and ensure that our veterans have all the tools and benefits they need to be successful now that they have returned to civilian life. Wall Street Reform Tulsi has been a strong advocate for Wall Street reform, including breaking up the big banks and reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act. Tulsi believes Americans should have peace of mind knowing that the health of their mortgage, retirement plan, or even salary isn’t tied to a roll of the dice on Wall Street. Fighting the Bail-out of Big Banks
Tulsi Gabbard Here are some of the most important steps we need to take to protect our economy: Break up the big banks - Banks that are “too big to fail” are simply too big. As long as individual banks hold such a huge portion of our economy, then we are bound to be faced with having to bail out the giant banks again. This will devastate our economy. Restore the Glass Steagall Act - For decades, the Glass Steagall Act protected the public by separating risky investment banking and commercial banking. Had this common sense regulation not been repealed, we never would have faced the economic hardship that we do today. Without this healthy separation, greed leads bankers to leverage available funds for the highest profit potential - and often riskiest investments. Ban naked credit defaults - Naked credit defaults are a form of excessive speculation that put our financial markets in a position of unnecessary and unhealthy risk. As a form of gambling, naked credit defaults have no place in our banking system. Tulsi is a co-sponsor of H.R.3711 - 21st Century Glass-Steagall Act of 2013 Women’s Rights Tulsi has a 100% voting record with both Planned Parenthood and NARAL. A Woman's Right to Choose Tulsi is committed to defending a woman’s right to choose, which government has no place infringing on. She has a 100% voting record with both Planned Parenthood and NARAL. Tulsi’s commitment to upholding America’s promise to support our veterans, equal pay for women, and her bold advocacy for ending the war in Afghanistan in order to reinvest that money to create jobs here at home make her the voice of fresh leadership we need in Washington now more than ever. Gen. Claudia Kennedy Equal Pay Tulsi strongly believes women are long overdue to receive equal pay for equal work, and has supported legislation to level the playing field such as H.R.377 - Paycheck Fairness Act |
” |
| —Tulsi Gabbard for Congress[26] | ||
Campaign finance
The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.
| Name | Party | Receipts* | Disbursements** | Cash on hand | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsi Gabbard | Democratic Party | $1,421,020 | $1,452,103 | $2,016,418 | As of December 31, 2018 |
| Jennifer Brown | Nonpartisan | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
| Scott Silverthorn | Nonpartisan | $0 | $0 | $0 | Data not available*** |
|
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." |
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District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+19, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 19 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District the 70th most Democratic nationally.[27]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.09. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.09 points toward that party.[28]
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Hawaii, 2018
- United States House elections in Hawaii (August 11, 2018 Democratic primaries)
- Hawaii's 2nd Congressional District election (August 11, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Honolulu Civil Beat, "Civil Beat Poll: Tulsi Gabbard Is Hawaii’s Most Popular Politician," May 24, 2018
- ↑ NPR "Vice Chair of DNC Resigns To Support Bernie Sanders," February 28, 2016
- ↑ Vote Tulsi, "Vision," accessed July 31, 2018
- ↑ The Atlantic, "The GOP’s Favorite Democrat Goes to Syria," January 18, 2017
- ↑ Washington Post, "Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: The Democrat that Republicans love and the DNC can’t control," October 15, 2015
- ↑ BBC, "Clinton: 'The world will not waver, Assad must go,'" April 12, 2018
- ↑ Washington Post, "Assad must go, Obama says," August 18, 2011
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Morning Digest: New poll shows Assad-backing Tulsi Gabbard's popularity waning with Hawaii Democrats," June 08, 2017
- ↑ Sherry for Congress, "Endorsements, accessed July 27, 2018
- ↑ Honolulu Civil Beat, "Hawaii Teachers Union Backs Gabbard Opponent For Congress," May 21, 2018
- ↑ YouTube, "Sherry Campagna vs. Tulsi Gabbard: Constituents First + Abolish ICE," June 26, 2018
- ↑ Anthony Tony Austin, "3 Candidate Positions," accessed July 27, 2018
- ↑ FEC, "Hawaii 02," accessed July 27, 2018
- ↑ ABC News, "General Election Results 2012-Hawaii," accessed November 7, 2012
- ↑ AP Results, "Hawaii U.S. House Primary Election Results," accessed August 12, 2012
- ↑ Hawaii Reporter, "Hannemann All a Twitter About His Congressional Run, But for Some, Bad Memories Still Linger," accessed August 30, 2011
- ↑ Inquisitr, "More Details about Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, DNC Vice Chair that Resigned to Endorse Bernie Sanders Before Super Tuesday," February 29, 2016
- ↑ The Examiner, "Woman first Hindu elected to Congress," accessed November 8, 2012
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed June 14, 2013
- ↑ Sherry for Hawaii, "Sherry's Career," accessed August 20, 2018
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 21.4 [https://www.sherryforhawaii.com/endorsements/ Sherry for Hawaii, "Endorsements," accessed July 31, 2018
- ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 22.13 22.14 22.15 22.16 22.17 22.18 22.19 22.20 22.21 22.22 22.23 22.24 22.25 Vote Tulsi, "Endorsements," accessed July 31, 2018
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Anthony Tony Austin for Congress, "3 Candidate Positions," accessed July 28, 2018
- ↑ Sherry for Hawaii, "Issues," accessed July 28, 2018
- ↑ Vote Tulsi, "Vision," accessed July 28, 2018
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
