Rep. Tulsi Gabbard didn’t let the cold temperatures or frigid New Hampshire water stop her from kicking off 2020 with one of her favorite activities — surfing.
The Democratic presidential contender skipped last month’s primary debate in part to spend time connecting with voters in New Hampshire. On New Year’s Day, she brought a little bit of her home state of Hawaii to New England by becoming the first candidate for president to surf in the Granite State.
“History is being made!” a supporter yelled as Gabbard headed down the beach in a full-body wetsuit, flanked by people holding campaign signs, and into the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
HAMPTON, NH — Rep. Tulsi Gabbard kicks off 2020 with a surf in the Atlantic.
Gabbard is the first presidential candidate to hop on a surfboard in New Hampshire, taking retail politics seaside.
(A surprising number of folks surfing in sub-40°F waters today.)#nhpolitics #FITN pic.twitter.com/sM8ELCHb7k
— Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) January 1, 2020
“There is absolutely no better way to start the day and to start the year,” she said afterward. “Highly recommend it. If we could go surfing every day and bring everybody out, that’d be awesome.”
Gabbard reacts to hearing she’s the very first presidential candidate to catch a wave in #FITN state New Hampshire.
“If we could go surfing every day, and bring everybody out, that’d be awesome.”#nhpolitics pic.twitter.com/HttvdnkdlW
— Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) January 1, 2020
Gabbard, 38, learned to surf during her teenage years “the hard way through trial and error.” Now, she and videographer husband Abraham Williams, 31, tackle the breaks of Ala Moana Beach Park on the south shore of Oahu together. In 2017, she even entered Hawaii’s Queen of the Bay surfing competition.
Despite missing the last Democratic debate, Gabbard surpassed her December fundraising goal of $1 million, bringing in a total of $1.2 million during the month. The candidate raised approximately $3.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2019 and is currently polling in ninth place with 1.8% support.
