Washington, November 12

Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu lawmaker from Hawaii in the US Congress, is considering to run for the American presidency in 2020, according to sources close to her.

On Friday, at a Medtronic conference in Los Angeles an eminent Indian-American Dr Sampat Shivangi introduced Gabbard, 37, and said that she could be the next US President in 2020. The brief statement was marked by a standing ovation, in the presence of the four-term Congresswoman from the 50th US State.

Gabbard, a Democrat, who addressed the gathering, however, neither confirmed nor denied that she is running for President in 2020.

A decision on this could be taken before Christmas, which might not necessarily result in a formal announcement as that could be delayed till the next year, people familiar with her thinking process said. However, it is said she and her team has been reaching out to prospective donors, including a large number of Indian Americans, and volunteers to build an impressive campaign for her 2020 run.

Given that Gabbard is highly popular among Indian Americans, it is but natural that her team has quietly started reaching out to this community, which is considered as the richest ethnic group after the Jewish Americans. And in many critical states, Indian Americans can play an important role in her electoral chances. — PTI

A Democrat, Tulsi Gabbard, 37, won her House seat in 2012 and became the first Hindu to serve in the Congress. If she declares her presidential bid, she would be the first Hindu candidate ever from a major political party to announce to enter the race for White House