“Assad is the butcher of Damascus.  Assad is someone who violated all international norms in using chemical weapons against his people.  How one thinks that a conversation with him is going to change the course of events in Syria is naive at best,” fumed Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.). 

“She has views on foreign policy that are so outside the mainstream as to be a real liability to the Democratic Party,” said another Democratic senator, who requested anonymity to candidly discuss the party’s issue with Gabbard. “ It is corrosive to have folks on that stage who represent views that are clearly not right.” 

Gabbard’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment. 

While Gabbard isn’t exactly gaining traction in the polls, she does appear to have a loyal following.  The vast majority of her support comes from male voters, according to FiveThirtyEight.  She’s also more likely to attract support from Democratic primary voters who supported President Donald Trump in 2016, according to a November poll from The Economist/YouGov. 

Given Gabbard’s obvious play to appear at war with the party establishment, several senators declined to discuss her candidacy — before panning her privately.  She has awkward relationships with the Hawaii congressional delegation and faced a primary challenge before saying she wouldn’t run for reelection. 

Earlier this year, Gabbard authored an op-ed that suggested Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) went too far in questioning a Trump judicial nominee, without naming Hirono.  When asked about Gabbard's candidacy Thursday, Hirono paused and squinted. 

"Look at my face," she said. " I have nothing to say about Tulsi Gabbard." 

Beyond her isolationist foreign policy that appeals to some libertarian-leaning voters, the other notable aspect of Gabbard’s candidacy is her eagerness to blindside other candidates, many of whom are friends with sitting senators and members of Congress.