KEY POINTS Trump praised Rep. Gabbard for declining to vote in favor of impeachment

Gabbard was the only House Democrat to not vote "yes"

The impeachment process is "partisan" in nature, Gabbard says

Gabbard is currently ranked ninth among Democratic presidential nominee candidates

Much to the consternation of her Democratic House peers, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard’s (D-Hawaii) voted “present” during the formal floor vote last week on whether or not to officially impeach President Donald Trump. There’s one person, however, who isn’t taking the Democratic presidential nominee to task, however – the President.

While speaking at an event hosted by Turning Point USA, a conservative youth organization, this weekend, Trump was eager to praise Gabbard.

“I give her respect. She didn't vote the other day. I give her a lot of respect. Because she knew it was wrong. She took a pass,” Trump said of Gabbard.

When responding to criticism over her decision to not vote in favor of impeachment – the only House Democrat to not do so – Gabbard explained that it was not because she does not support the motion. Rather, she views the process as “partisan” and “fueled by tribal animosities” that should not be validated.

The congresswoman from Hawaii has faced increasing difficulties in her bid for the Democratic nomination in recent times. Gabbard has repeatedly butted heads with fellow Democrats, culminating in former Secretary of State and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton accusing her of being “groomed” by Republicans to be a potential third-party spoiler. Her decision to effectively abstain from voting on Trump’s impeachment has not served to endear her further to Democrats, either.

According to the Hill, Gabbard’s fellow Democrats in Congress have called her refusal to vote a “cop-out” and a decision that is “beyond anything that you can really understand.” And Trump’s recent praise for Gabbard won’t do her any favors.

At present, national polling averages provided by RealClearPolitics place Gabbard in ninth place with 1.7 percent in the still-crowded Democratic nominee field. Polling also shows how more voters view her in a poor light than favor her.

With Gabbard struggling to keep up with the pack, some have speculated that she may choose to run as a third-party candidate, with the hope that her right-of-center political stances will appeal to independents and Republicans disappointed with Trump. The 2020 hopeful, however, has clearly denied that this is her intent, calling such speculation “ridiculous” and “absolutely baseless.”

Regardless, the writing is on the wall for Gabbard, as former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg continue to get out ahead of the other candidates.