U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is currently polling at just 1% nationally among the Democrats running for president, although she fares better in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Who exactly are her supporters?

According to the opinion poll analyses website FiveThirtyEight, the Hawaii Democrat’s support is “predominantly male” (her support among women is “practically nonexistent”) and “likely to fall outside of traditional Democratic circles.”

Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard announces her run for president with supporters holding signs at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.
Supporters of Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard gather at her formal kickoff for president, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in February. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Indeed, her supporters are “more likely” to have backed President Trump in 2016, hold conservative views or identify as Republican compared to voters backing the other Democrats in the race.

That helps explain why Gabbard gets a polling boost when she criticizes Hillary Clinton, as she has done several times recently.

“On the other hand, garnering approval from conservative media isn’t likely to improve her poor favorability among Democrats or attract the support she needs to win the primary, no matter how loyal her base is,” said the report.

Gabbard draws some support from independents, although she has said several times she will not run as a third-party candidate in 2020.

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