Presidential hopeful Tulsi Gabbard announced Monday that she plans to skip the next Democratic presidential debate — even if she qualifies for the contest.
“For a number of reasons, I have decided not to attend the December 19th ‘debate’ — regardless of whether or not there are qualifying polls,” the Hawaii congresswoman wrote on Twitter.
As of Monday, Gabbard had met the 200,000 unique donor threshold to attend the Los Angeles debate. But she’s still one qualifying poll short, according to The New York Times.
Instead of sparring with other Democrats in front of a national audience, Gabbard said she’d be campaigning in New Hampshire and South Carolina.
“I instead choose to spend that precious time directly meeting with and hearing from the people of New Hampshire and South Carolina,” she said in her tweet.
Just six Democratic candidates have qualified for next week’s debate, according to the Times.
Billionaire Tom Steyer, former Vice President Joe Biden, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will face off on Dec. 19.



