2020 candidate Tulsi Gabbard is trending on Twitter, after the Hawaiian lawmaker scorched Hillary Clinton with a devastating put-down. Nevertheless, Hillary fans still maintain Tulsi’s popularity is the work of ‘Russian bots’.

Gabbard unloaded on Clinton on Friday, after the failed 2016 presidential contender suggested that “the Russians” were “grooming” her to run as a third-party candidate next year to split the Democratic vote.

“Great! Thank you Hillary Clinton,” Gabbard tweeted in response. “You, the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long, have finally come out from behind the curtain.”

Also on rt.com 'Queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption': Tulsi Gabbard DRAGS Hillary Clinton after 'Russian asset' claim

“It’s now clear that this primary is between you and me,” Gabbard continued. “Don’t cowardly hide behind your proxies. Join the race directly.”

Gabbard’s takedown resonated with fans on Twitter, who tweeted their support, along with the hashtag #IamTulsi. By Saturday morning, the hashtag was trending in second place in the US.

tonightjust for a few hoursregardless of party affiliation we are all #Tulsi🇺🇸🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cMpwbGX51t — Ian Michael Giatti (@IMGiatti) October 19, 2019

If you believe that a sitting congresswoman in the military & Armed services committee...is a Russian asset...It's logical to me that a Podcast is not the place to be...You should be in your SUV headed to the FBI/NSA with files of evidence...ASAP!!!#IamTulsi#TulsiGabbardpic.twitter.com/PT1SgO11a5 — George. #Tulsi 🌺🌺 🧢🧢 (@GeorgeBos7) October 19, 2019

Call us bots and trolls all you want. You’re just pissed that your “queen” is being called out by someone in her own party. #IamTulsihttps://t.co/tjHslFBZcl — Freckled Liberty 🇺🇸 (@FreckledLiberty) October 19, 2019

Still, there were those who believed Clinton’s conspiracy theory. To them, Tulsi is not only working for former KKK Grand Wizard David Duke (who she has publicly denounced as “pure evil”) and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the #IamTulsi hashtag itself was the work of shady ‘Russian bots’.

I have covered politics for 30yrs. Never has there been a Democratic presidential candidate endorsed by brutal dictators and alt-right neo-Nazis and KKK.#IamTulsi Gabbard is endorsed by ~Bashar al-Assad~David Duke~Richard Spencer~Steve Bannon~Tucker CarlsonSo is Trump. — Victoria Brownworth🎃👻💀 (@VABVOX) October 19, 2019

I’ve been trying to tell people that Tulsi is the new Jill Stein for MONTHS. To hell with that #IamTulsi mess. https://t.co/UZDyzkDwVQ — Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) October 19, 2019

Dear Russia This ain’t 2016Your Manchurian candidate won’t win again Fuck Tulsi and your Russian bot hashtag #IamTulsi — YourPresidentIsARacist (@battletested5) October 19, 2019

With an online battle raging for her reputation, Gabbard still has a long road ahead of her to secure the 2020 nomination. The Hawaiian lawmaker is currently polling in single digits, and has been smeared by the media as an “Assad apologist” and “Putin puppet” for her criticisms of US foreign policy in Syria, where she believes Washington should never have backed anti-government jihadist rebels.

Former US intelligence people are pushing the “Tulsi is a Russian asset” line. That’s not at all suspicious, amirite?For all those progressives dogpiling on Tulsi, just wait. Soon this will be used against Bernie too. pic.twitter.com/l66JwUNVyb — Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) October 19, 2019

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