Gabbard reaches donor threshold for September debate

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s (D-Hawaii) White House campaign announced Friday it had reached the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) donor threshold to appear at the primary debate in September.

Gabbard’s camp said it had garnered 130,000 unique donors, with more than 400 donors in at least 20 states. To qualify for September’s debate, candidates must hit 130,000 donors and get 2 percent support in at least four different polls.

{mosads}Gabbard has yet to reach the polling threshold.

“People are sick and tired of self-serving politicians and corporate interests exploiting them for their own selfish gain. I love our country, and I love the American people. They are why I’m in this fight,” Gabbard said in a statement.

“I’m grateful for the support our campaign is earning from individuals all across the country who believe in my leadership, bringing a soldier’s values of service above self to the White House, putting the wellbeing of our people and our country above all else.”

Eight candidates have thus far qualified for the September debate stage based on The Hill’s tally.

Gabbard’s campaign is hoping to see a boost after this week’s primary debate, after which the Hawaii Democrat was the most-searched candidate of the second night.

Gabbard garnered headlines over an exchange with Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) when she attacked her over her record as California attorney general, accusing Harris of locking up people of color for low-level drug offenses, hiding evidence that would have freed an innocent man on death row and fighting for long sentences to use prisoners for cheap prison labor. 

“When you were in a position to impact these people’s lives you did not and worse yet in the case of those on death row, innocent people, you actually blocked evidence that would have freed them, until you were forced to do that, and the people who suffered under your reign as prosecutor, you owe them an apology,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard has stagnated near the bottom tier of most national and statewide polls and is hoping to supercharge her campaign ahead of the Aug. 28 deadline to qualify for the next debate. A number of candidates are pushing to secure a position on the debate stage and avoid further stalling out in polling and seeing their fundraising dry up.