Former Democratic Hawaii governor calls on Tulsi Gabbard to resign from Congress amid presidential campaign

Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is facing pressure from a former governor of her state to resign from Congress over concerns that she cannot fully represent her district as she carries out her presidential campaign.

Neil Abercrombie, who served as a Democratic governor from 2010-14, said in a news conference that he left Gabbard a message before speaking publicly about his position. Abercrombie said Gabbard has not attended votes in the House, and cited her previous decision not to seek re-election as a sign she is not fully invested in her position.

"If she's not running for re-election, the incentive, if you will, to represent, literally, the Second District, it kind of disappears," Abercrombie said.

Gabbard has missed over 85% of 146 of House floor votes since October, according to a tracker managed by GovTrack. Hawaii's other representative, Democrat Ed Case, has been absent for about 2% of votes in the same time period.

A spokesperson said in a statement that "Hawai'i is Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard's home and her heart," and referenced "major legislative wins" during her term such as work for veterans and native Hawaiians.

“Her pursuit of the highest office in the land has not compromised her and her team’s commitment to serving the people of Hawaiʻi in her fourth term in Congress," said T. Ilihia Gionson, her Hawaii communications director.

"It became clear to me that she was missing votes, lots and lots of votes," Abercrombie said. "And then when she did show up, she didn't vote. She votes 'present.'"

Gabbard has faced backlash from fellow Democrats for being the sole lawmaker in the House to vote "present" on the two recently passed articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. She explained her decision by saying that she could not "in good conscience" vote either yes or no. The articles passed largely along party lines last week.

Gabbard explains impeachment vote: 'I could not in good conscience vote either yes or no'

Abercrombie said that Gabbard's impeachment vote "had to do with her presidential campaign, it has nothing to do with representing the people of Hawaii."

"When she just showed up and then voted 'present,' I thought, 'Wait a minute, that's a step too far,'" Abercrombie said.

Abercrombie said a special election should be conducted to replace Gabbard, and acknowledged that he is serving as the co-chair for Kai Kahele, a state senator who is running to fill Gabbard's seat in 2020. The former governor said his opinion on Gabbard was formed independently of his position on Kahele's campaign, but that he would support Kahele if he ran in a special election.

"Clearly her vote is unacceptable. It’s disappointing," Kahele said of Gabbard's impeachment vote, adding it was "not what the taxpayers of Hawaii sent her here for."

Abercrombie, who was also a long-serving member of Congress before resigning to focus on his own gubernatorial campaign, said he was most concerned with Gabbard's absence from Congress during her campaign and "whether or not you can do the job." He said he was an early supporter of Gabbard's but would have counseled her not to run for president had she asked.

"I wish her the best of good fortune," Abercrombie said. "But I feel very, very strongly that the Second District of Hawaii needs to be fully represented."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tulsi Gabbard should resign from Congress, says former Hawaii gov. Abercrombie