Tulsi Gabbard starts new year surfing in New Hampshire – NJ TODAY

Posted On: January 5, 2020

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard tried to make a splash for her presidential campaign on New Year’s Day by hitting the waves in freezing New Hampshire.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard earned publicity by jumping into the frigid cold water for a New Year’s Day surf session at North Beach, New Hampshire, where she joined a group of surfers in the Atlantic Ocean.

The avid surfer and 2020 candidate for the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination told reporters that she highly recommends early morning surfing, even in cold weather.

“There is absolutely no better way to start the day and to start the year,” Gabbard said, adding: “If we could go surfing every day, and bring everybody out, that’d be awesome.”

“Obviously a lot colder than what I’m used to,” said Gabbard, a congresswoman from Hawaii. “The Pacific and the Atlantic are just two totally different animals.”

The Democratic presidential candidate took a break from traditional campaigning to go surfing in the frigid Atlantic Ocean on the New Hampshire shoreline on New Year’s Day.

Gabbard and her husband Abraham met with surfers at Cinnamon Rainbows Surfing Co. before driving to 12th Street to enjoy what shop owner Dave Cropper described as “head-high waves.” She was protected by a wetsuit, gloves and a head cover she admitted was difficult to pull off once back onshore.

The Hawaii Democrat is campaigning in New Hampshire ahead of the state’s first-in-the-nation primary contest.

Ralph Fatello, a respected longtime Hampton surfer, said surfing in January at Hampton Beach with locals earned Gabbard “huge cred.” He told her she had “good style” after she got out of the water.

“No other presidential candidate has ever put on a wetsuit and paddled out in New Hampshire during winter conditions,” Fatello said. “She gets my vote for that alone.”

Cropper said Gabbard held her own and that he respects “anybody that comes from warm water climate and surfs when the water’s in the upper 30s in New Hampshire.” He met Gabbard while she was speaking at a home on Exeter Road Monday night and suggested she start the New Year off by catching some local waves.

“I told her we have a swell and Wednesday it’s going to be sunny skies, clean waves,” Cropper said. “It’s great to be able to host a Hawaiian congressman and a presidential candidate for a surf session.”

Accompanied by people carrying campaign signs, Gabbard, hit the beach in a full wetsuit Wednesday morning before wading into the frigid Atlantic Ocean, a video from NBC Boston shows. She then surfs a small wave.

“History is being made!” a person in the group yelled, asserting that Gabbard is the first presidential candidate to surf in the Granite State.

Wednesday was Gabbard’s first time surfing in New Hampshire, as well as in winter weather. Gabbard, 38, said she would have been surfing that morning if she was home in Hawaii, and she felt “cozy” in the thick wetsuit with which Cinnamon Rainbows equipped her.

“They hooked me up,” Gabbard said. “The surf community in Hampton has been generous in helping me get prepared for a winter surf.”

Gabbard got a taste of the winter water Tuesday when she joined local addiction recovery advocate Chucky Rosa for his morning jump into the water at Seabrook Beach in stormy conditions. Rosa goes in the water each day to remember his two sons who died of overdoses. In a video posted on Facebook, he called Gabbard a “tough customer” before they went into the water together by the Neil R. Underwood Memorial Bridge.

“If nothing else, mentally, I feel ready,” Gabbard said before her second dip into the ocean Wednesday.

Gabbard has an average of 5.7% support in New Hampshire primary polls, according to Real Clear Politics, trailing the leader, Bernie Sanders, as well as Pete Buttigieg, Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren. She said she is currently planning on visiting every town in New Hampshire ahead of voting day Feb. 11, having recently moved into a home in Manchester for the duration of the primary.

She has campaigned on stances like ending unnecessary foreign wars and reforming the nation’s criminal justice and immigration systems. She has earned support from those who view her as anti-establishment. She was the only Democrat to vote “present” during the House’s impeachment vote against Donald Trump, having said it was in protest of the “terrible fallout” between the two parties.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be able to share my vision for the country with (Granite Staters), how we can come together to solve problems,” Gabbard said. “Regardless of political party, we have to come together as a country.”

Wednesday’s surf drew people from across the political spectrum. Dean Merchant, a former Stratham state representative and longtime Democrat, came with his wife Pamela and said he finds Gabbard to be genuine and refreshing. He said his support is in spite of her “present” vote regarding Trump’s impeachment.

“She seems to be very good with her integrity and her beliefs, and that’s how she felt, so I can appreciate that,” Merchant said, “but it’s not how I would have voted and I know it was problematical among many Democrats.”

Steve Rita, 54, of Seabrook, wore a Trump hat while walking his English bulldog Lucy on the sand as Gabbard surfed. He said he respects her “present” vote and believes she could be valuable working in the Trump administration if she doesn’t win.

“She could probably talk some sense into him on certain things,” Rita said, “because there’s no doubt be puts his foot in his mouth a lot. But we didn’t vote for him for his personality.”

While Trump himself has said Gabbard’s “present” vote earns her “a lot of respect” in his eyes, Gabbard has said her hope is for Trump to not be re-elected in 2020 and that impeaching him would only increase the chances of a second term. When asked later in the morning if she’d ever consider working in the Trump administration, she said she still plans to beat him.

“I’m working to win and be the president,” Gabbard said. “That’s what I’m doing.”