The House’s vote to impeach President Trump on Wednesday mostly fell along party lines, with Democrats in favor and Republicans against. There were a few exceptions, the most notable of which was Tulsi Gabbard.
Gabbard didn’t vote for or against impeachment. Instead, she voted present and made an independent break from the Democratic Party establishment — an establishment that isn’t too attached to her, either.
The vote could be seen as a cop-out: She didn’t make it clear where she stands on one of this election’s most defining issues, and even her official statement released after the vote offers little opinion.
But the vote lines up with what Gabbard has been saying for the past few months: Impeachment is a serious business, and there must be sufficient evidence to pursue it. Otherwise, Congress risks dividing a country that is already too polarized.
“After doing my due diligence in reviewing the 658-page impeachment report, I came to the conclusion that I could not in good conscience vote either yes or no,” she said in a statement. “I am standing in the center and have decided to vote Present. I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing. … I also could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”
Perhaps Gabbard concluded there was not enough evidence to support the Democrats’ two articles of impeachment. Or perhaps she believes, like many Republicans, that Trump’s actions didn’t warrant removal from office.
Either way, Gabbard made it clear that she would not take part in a process that is obviously partisan. She should expect to explain her vote on the campaign trail, and doing so might just give her campaign the boost in support that it needs. The latest national average has her at 1.4%, and back in Hawaii, most of her constituents want her to drop out.
There certainly won’t be any congressional fallout. Gabbard has already said she will not seek reelection to the House to better focus on her bid for the presidency.
Regardless of whether it helps or hurts her presidential campaign, Gabbard’s vote was good. It shows she is choosing a new kind of politics, one that transcends establishment talking points, big money donations, and partisan feuds — even if the rest of her party won’t.
