Carol Porter Gabbard

Carol Porter Gabbard is the mother of Hawaiian Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. She is also the wife of Samoan-American politician Mike Gabbard.

She is a Hindu. Her children have Hindu names like Bhakti, Jai, Narayan, and Vrindavan.

She is a former member of the Hawaii State Board of Education and has been a practicing Hindu since her teenage years. She has been influenced by Chris Butler, the leader of an offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement.

Birth

Tulsi Gabbard was born in Leloaloa, American Samoa, United States on April 12, 1981 to Michael Gabbard & Carol Porter. She is the fourth child of them.

Her father is a Catholic, while her mother identifies Hindu. Tulsi says that she was home-schooled.

Besides being a US Congresswoman, she co-founded two nonprofit organizations. She also served on the Hawaii State Board of Education for four years.

Tulsi and her husband have five children. They were married in East Grand Rapids, Michigan on December 27, 1968.

Marriage

Carol Porter Gabbard married Gerald Michael ‘Mike’ Gabbard on December 27, 1968, in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. Together, they have five children.

They are sons Bhakti, Jai, and Aryan, and daughters Tulsi and Vrindavan. Because of Carols Hindu faith, their children all have Hindu names.

In addition to running her own businesses, Carol also supported her husband on his. These include Mike’s Sport Shot (1974-1978), Natural Deli ( 1988-1992), Talofa Services LLC (2013), and Infotech Communications LLC (June 2002-April 2004).

Children

Carol Porter Gabbard is the mother of a famous politician from the United States, Tulsi Gabbard. She is also the wife of Mike Gabbard, a senator from Hawaii.

The family moved to Hawaii from American Samoa in 1983 where Tulsi was educated through high school. She studied at the University of Hawaii Pacific and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in international business.

She and her husband are the co-founders of a non-profit organization called Aloha Parenting Project (APP). They also own Hawaiian Toffee Treasures from 1998 to 2007.

Education

Gabbard was born in American Samoa and was raised in Michigan. She and her husband have five kids and eight grandchildren.

She served on the Hawaii State Board of Education from 20002004. She is the only practicing Hindu in Congress.

Mike and Carol homeschooled their children. They have a daughter named Tulsi Gabbard, who is the youngest politician in Hawaii and also the first woman to be elected to the US Senate at 21 years old.

As a lawmaker, she has sometimes been accused of using her religion to advance her political career. She identifies as Hindu and has long deflected questions about the influence of Chris Butler, who is the founder of an offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement called the Science of Identity Foundation.

Career

Carol Porter Gabbard is the wife of Hawaii Senate Democrat Mike Gabbard. She is also the mother of a former Democratic congressional candidate, Tulsi Gabbard.

Gabbard is a vegan and follows Gaudiya Vaishnavism, a Hindu religion. She took the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita and is the first practicing Hindu in Congress.

As a lawmaker, she has often deflected questions about her ties to a controversial Hindu leader, Chris Butler, also known as Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa, who advocates a strict form of Hinduism. Gabbard has also defended her decision not to endorse Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election.

Religion

Carol Porter Gabbard is a proud Hindu and an adherent of Brahma Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya (also known as Gaudiya Vaishnavism). Her parents are followers of this religion.

She grew up in a group of devotees, and she was raised to be vegetarian. She also grew up around fellow disciples, singing or chanting sacred Hindu songs on the beach.

The group was led by Chris Butler, who is a leader of an offshoot organization of the Hare Krishna movement. Gabbard has often deflected questions about Butler and her ties to the group, which has been accused of sexually abusing members.

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