Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo Husband

Honolulu City Councilwoman Tulsi Gabbard (D) announced Thursday she is running for Hawaii’s open 2nd district seat, which Rep. Mazie Hirono (D) is vacating to run for Senate.

“I have a sincere desire to be of service to all the people of Hawai’i, and I’m confident that I will serve you well,” Gabbard said in a press release. “I have the experience, the energy, and the determination to fight for you, our beautiful Hawai’i, and our great country. I would be honored if you would allow me to serve you in Washington.”

The district is solidly Democratic and will be even more challenging for a Republican with Hawaiian-born President Barack Obama at the top of the ticket in 2012. Gabbard’s toughest test will likely come in the Democratic primary.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported several Democrats are interested in running, including former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, former state Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser and state Sens. Josh Green and Clayton Hee. The newspaper also reported that former Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona (R) is looking at the race as well.

Gabbard is an Iraq war veteran and former state representative. She was elected to the state House in 2002 at the age of 21. She was the youngest female state Representative ever elected in the United States.

After enlisting in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003, a year later she volunteered to deploy to Iraq with the 29th Brigade Combat Team and withdrew her candidacy for re-election. She was elected to the city council last year.

In May 2011, Gabbard announced she was dropping her husband’s last name. Up until that point, she went as Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo.

Gabbard also spent two years on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant to Sen. Daniel Akaka (D), whose retirement prompted Hirono to run for Senate.

Her father is state Sen. Mike Gabbard, who as a Republican Honolulu city councilman lost the 2004 2nd district race against then-Rep. Ed Case (D).

Who is WaterWoman?

WaterWoman was originally played and created by Tulsi Gabbard, HHC’s Co-Founder and Vice President. Tulsi was elected to the Hawaii State House of Representatives in 2002, at 21 years old, becoming the youngest legislator ever elected in Hawaii. She enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard in 2003, and shipped off to boot camp shortly after the legislative session was complete As she campaigned for re-election in 2004, the 29th Brigade Combat Team was activated for a combat tour in Iraq. Even though not personally called up for duty, Tulsi knew that she could not stay behind. She volunteered to deploy with the 29th BCT and withdrew from her re-election campaign.

In 2007 she completed 60 days of rigorous training at the Alabama Military Academy’s Officer Candidate School. The training was physically and mentally tough, with virtually no contact with the outside world. Out of 155 graduates from 42 states, Tulsi received awards as the Distinguished Honor Graduate, due to her being at the overall top of her class in leadership evaluations, academics, physical fitness, and peer evaluations. Tulsi made history by becoming the first female Distinguished Honor Graduate in the Alabama Military Academy’s 50 year history.

Tulsi was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and recently returned from her second deployment in the Middle East with the Hawai’i Army National Guard’s Military Police. As a First Lieutenant, Tulsi served as a military police officer and led a platoon of 33 soldiers, conducting a variety of security missions, as well as training with the Kuwait National Guard. We’re very proud of her, and all the 1,700 returning warriors of the 29th Brigade Combat Team and thank them for their service to our state and country.

Tulsi now devotes her time to expanding Healthy Hawaii Coalition’s educational program, creating new grassroots community initiatives in order to promote sustainable living, continuing her part-time National Guard duty by working as a Platoon Trainer for the Army’s Officer Candidate School, as well as working with national and international non-profit organizations in the areas of national security, veteran concerns, and foreign policy. She will soon be promoted to Captain.

Tulsi Gabbard

Tulsi Gabbard is District 6 Honolulu City Council member. She defeated opponent Sesnita Moepono in the 2010 general election. Gabbard formally took office January 2, 2011.

In May 2011, Gabbard announced she was dropping her husband’s last name. Up until that point, she went as Tulsi Gabbard Tamayo.

“As you may know, my husband and I divorced a few years ago, shortly after I returned home from an 18-month long Iraq deployment with the Hawai’i Army National Guard,” Gabbard wrote in a statement at the time. “The deployment was very hard on my husband, and on our marriage. Sadly, Eddie and I became another statistic, another sad story, illustrating the stresses war places on military spouses and families.”

2010 Election

Gabbard was one of 10 candidates in the nonpartisan Honolulu City Council race for District 6. The District covers a portion of Makiki, Downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl, Liliha, Pauoa Valley, Nuuanu, Alewa Heights, Papakolea, Kalihi Valley and some of Kalihi.

In the primary, Gabbard faced off against Larry Fenton, Tim Garry, Frank Lavoie, Carlton Middleton, Shawn Hamamoto, Dennis Nakasato, Bob Vieira, Christopher Wong and Moepono. Gabbard and Moepono came first and second in the race, respectively, and advanced to the Nov. 2 general election.

Gabbard won the general easily with 15,060 votes, or about 50 percent. Moepono received 10,682 votes, or 35 percent.

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