DNC: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard thrust into the spotlight

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard

UPDATED, 4:20 PST to include opening gavel ceremony without Debbie Wasserman Shlultz, chair of the Democratic National Committee.

WHEN the emails from Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz became public indicating her favoritism towards Hillary Clinton's candidacy, the spotlight turned to Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii).

Gabbard resigned last February as the vice chair of the Democratic Party and joined the campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders. Rumors that circulated seemed to infer that she had differences with Wasserman because the DNC chairwoman was not as neutral as the she claimed.

She also felt that limited the candidates to six debates was a disservice to the American public. The Democrats eventually relented on this last topic and scheduled more debates as the primaries remained contested until June.

Because of the email controversy swirling around her, Wasserman announced her intention to resign after the Democrat's convention. When the gavel officially opened the DNCC, the gavel was held by the Mayor of Philadelphia instead of the DNC chair in order to avoid the chorus of boos that was certain to greet her by the delegates in the hall.

The revelations surrounding the leaked Democrat National Committee emails seem to confirm Gabbard's alleged position and the Hawaii congress member was thrust into the spotlight.

Last month, with Sander's concession, the independent-minded Gabbard continued to advocate for reforming the selection process for the Democratic Party.

Gabbard, the first Hindu woman elected to Congress, name was tossed about as possibly becoming chair of the DNC but she quickly quashed that speculation. Even if the position was offered to her, she said she would not accept it.

Since Hawaii's delegate majority went to Sanders in the primaries, it appears that Gabbard will have a highly visible role at the Democratic National Convention that was started this afternoon in Philadelphia.