DAVENPORT, Iowa — A presidential candidate says she’s in it for the long haul after failing to qualify for the next debate.

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard made a campaign stop in Davenport tonight. Gabbard officially fell short of qualifying for the next debate last week. She says the democratic national committee needs to be more transparent in its selection process, but said she’s confident it won’t be a setback.

“The DNC and these debates do not determine who our nominee will be,” Gabbard said.

Her supporters aren’t worried either.

“She’s got a lot of grass roots followers, so we’ll still be with her,” said Lorry Rind. “She says all the right things. Does all the right things.”

For some voters that includes knowing what not to say: the name Donald Trump.

“We cannot be naive to think that all the problems we’re facing began the day after the election in November 2016,” Gabbard told the crowd.

Voter William Kittler said that’s one of the many things he respects about Gabbard and her campaign.

“It’s very refreshing to see someone who’s focused on how do we make this country better without the prosecuting a president who’s failed us on every single level,” he said.

Gabbard said she have several bi-partisan bills about the election’s most polarizing topics, like climate change and healthcare.

That’s what caught 16-year-old Aadi Bhanti’s attention.

“It seems like she’s the true definition of what a moderate would have been 8 years 10 years or 12 years ago,” said the teen from Peoria, Illinois.

Gabbard’s next stop is in Dubuque tomorrow morning and then Waterloo.