Telegraph photo by ADAM URQUHART Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii hosts a town hall-style event, Friday at Lawrence Barn Community Center in Hollis.

HOLLIS – Democratic presidential candidate Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii did not vote to impeach President Donald Trump in her role as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives last week.

Instead, Gabbard – who currently places fifth in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation (#FITN) presidential primary race, trailing only top-tier contenders Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg – wants to beat Trump at the ballot box.

“My vote was not one of indecisiveness. My voting present was actually taking a very strong stand for the people and against the hyper-partisanship in Washington,” Gabbard said during her Friday town hall-style event in Hollis.

“I believe very firmly that the best and most powerful way to make a statement about the direction our country needs to go into, and accountability for this president, is for we the people to cast our votes in the ballot box to make sure that there is no question, that there is no question, about what we want for our country,” Gabbard added.

Rather than Democrats and Republicans coming together to improve the nation’s health care system, or ensure people get the care and medicine they need, Gabbard said Washington, D.C. seems to be only about partisan bickering.

“There are very clear ramifications with this broken system of governance that we have with this pay- to-play culture in Washington, where if you’ve got the money and you’ve got the high-power lobbyists, then you have the influence, and you have the seat at the table where the policies are being written that impact us – that impact us,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard said if elected president, she will treat every American with respect.

“This is what must be done, because no matter how great our plans are, no matter how huge our ideas are about how we want to solve and tackle these problems, in our system of governance, the executive branch must work with the legislative branch,” Gabbard said. “No one person can do it alone. Working together with leaders from across party lines is essential to being able to solve these problems.”

During the town hall, Gabbard took a question on the issue of abortion. Gabbard said ensuring the health of the woman is paramount.

In a move likely to infuriate many on the left, Gabbard said she is open to some “restrictions” on third-trimester abortion.

“I believe that restrictions in the third trimester make sense, that abortion should not be an option in the third trimester, unless the life of the woman, or extreme health consequences of the woman, is at risk,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard also spoke about climate change, acknowledging the words have become “very polarizing.”

Gabbard said there are people trying to raise awareness and information around the threats climate change poses to the planet. On the other hand, there are people who see it all as a hoax. Either way, Gabbard said one thing she tries to do is take away those words and look at items that are important, such as clean air and clean water.

Overall, Gabbard said she appreciates the reception of New Hampshire voters.

“We have been through many of these towns – we’re coming through again – and every event that we have, we have new faces and new people who are coming and who are attracted to our message of really bringing the country together to ensure that working side-by-side we can heal the divides in this country, and move forward together,” Gabbard said.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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