Let's first address the elephant in the room. Gabbard spent the vast majority of her political career as a Democrat. The positions she takes on some things aren't anything I could agree with, such as her views on gun control. 

However, from a tactical perspective, this could be a good thing. 

Gabbard might still have some leftover beliefs from her Democrat days, but it'd be unfair to put her in the Democrat column. She's been very outspoken about her belief that the Democrat Party has gone off the deep end, calling them "an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness." She has a deep respect for the military and despite her views on guns, is a big supporter of the Constitution. 

Gabbard's past isn't anything conservatives could smile at but in fairness, the Gabbard of yesterday and the Gabbard of today aren't the same person. This is a Gabbard who speaks at CPAC and likes the idea of being a Republican candidate's VP. 

But while this might not be good enough for many conservatives, this may very well be good for a lot of people who identify with Gabbard's journey, and in 2024, there is an army of people just like that. 

.@TulsiGabbard is the kind of leader the Republican Party needs to make the politically homeless and dissident left feel at home on the right. As a former Democrat who feels alienated by the evermore radical Left that’s become the party of the elite instead of the party of the… pic.twitter.com/64YYPHLWQz

— Storm (@stormrobinson) March 24, 2024

So many Democrats feel like Ronald Reagan felt all those years ago when he said he hadn't left the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left him. They, like you, see the radicalism that has infected the Democrat Party. They see how they mishandle the economy, attempt to indoctrinate your children, push victim/oppressor mentalities on everyone they can, and watch as they insult and belittle Americans who even mildly disagree with them. 

They left the Democrat Party in droves, but they still feel a bit queasy about voting for a Republican, especially when that Republican is Donald Trump. 

But Gabbard's presence would be able to assuage a lot of fears. Gabbard, whom they feel they relate to more and more every day, would be something of a reassuring presence. She would be a sign that Democrats can indeed be welcomed into the big tent and that Republicans aren't the extremist nutjobs their own party had been telling them they are for years. 

Moreover, once they make that switch, there's no telling how many of these former Democrats will become ardent Republicans. Now in the Republican Party themselves, they'll hear opinions and perspectives in a new light that may very well change their minds on issues. 

Republicans and conservatives shouldn't overlook the value of a person in the party who doesn't check all the boxes. Gabbard certainly doesn't, but she doesn't need to. In fact, that's part of what would make her valuable to Trump. 

The Republican Party is a party of individualists with varied ideas and beliefs. The goal is ultimately to be America's party, where individuals of all stripes can find a home. It's something that the Democrats have been billing themselves as for a very long time, and it worked very well, but they are demonstrating to many that they clearly aren't. 

The Republican Party has an incredible opportunity to fill its ranks with converts and to make a case as to why its take on issues is the best there is. All we have to do is make them feel like it's safe to join.

I think Gabbard is the key to that.