Evan Urquhart

Since Bernie is a dyed-in-the-wool labor guy and Tulsi risked DNC ire to back Bernie, I guess I'd lean towards giving her the benefit of the doubt. But she doesn't seem to have any passion for labor issues like Bernie, or like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

I'll predict that when we start hearing about Gabbard, though, what we'll hear about most is her tepid support for LGBTQ issues and her anti-gay activist past.

The worst is way back in Gabbard's past. Gabbard's father, Mike Gabbard, ran for congress unsuccessfully in 2004. During that campaign, Tulsi once wrote to a journalist: “It’s clear to me that you’re acting as a conduit for … homosexual extremist supporters of Ed Case.”

To understand the context of this ugly remark, you have to understand a bit about Tulsi's religion & upbringing. The New Yorker profile gave the clearest picture of that, but I'll try to summarize. (Source of "homosexual extremist" quote: https://www.civilbeat.org/2015/03/krishna-cult-rumors-still-dog-tulsi-gabbard/ …)

Gabbard was homeschooled, and she grew up in a close knit religious group, an offshoot of the Hare Krishnas led by a yoga teacher/guru named Chris Butler.

Butler's teachings included vegetarianism, environmentalism, peacefulness/aloha, and rabidly anti-gay sentiments. The group entered politics in the 90s and early aughts, making common cause with the anti-gay, anti-abortion right. One of their candidates was Gabbard's pa.

Tulsi Gabbard currently supports same-sex marriage and abortion rights. The character of her support, however, is a trickier question.