Presidential Candidate Tulsi Gabbard speaks in Provo

Unity and overcoming divisiveness was the theme when Democrat and presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard spoke Saturday afternoon in Provo, coming after two Salt Lake town halls on Friday. 

Addressing a room of roughly 200 supporters, the candidate from Hawaii started by hitting one of her campaigns central planks. “The divisiveness in this country right now is tearing us apart.”

Gabbard went on to tell of her experience in 2012 as a brand new freshman representative in Congress. There she was told not to expect to pass any bills as a Democrat in a Republican controlled House. “This made no sense to me,” Gabbard said. She went on to explain that she used building personal connections, including giving every member of the House homemade macadamia nut toffee, to build relationships with colleagues in both parties, which ultimately got her first bill passed and signed into law by President Obama.

It was this mindset of ‘’let us serve together”, she said, that allowed for the Washington gridlock to break down and for progress to be made. It would be through this spirit that she would govern as President and Commander in Chief. 

Gabbard fielded several questions from the audience, including a few on foreign policy. Speaking to one of her strengths as a veteran of 17 years, she emphasized waging diplomacy based on cooperation, not confrontation. Warning of the threat of a nuclear arms race, she told the audience ” there is no winning that race” and that “this is the greatest existential threat we face as a country, and on the planet.” 

Gabbard closed by inviting the audience to share her message and not to let the media tell them which candidate has a chance. “You get to decide that.”

Utah will vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary March 3rd.