Gabbard 'warned' about leaving DNC to endorse Sanders

WASHINGTON, March 2 (UPI) -- Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii said she was "warned" against resigning her leadership post with the Democratic National Committee in order to endorse Sen. Bernie Sanders for president.

Gabbard had been the DNC's vice chair, but announced Sunday she was leaving that post. The move was a boost to the Sanders campaign, which has struggled to keep pace with Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton when it comes to endorsements and support from establishment figures within the party.

Gabbard spoke to MSNBC during their election night coverage on Super Tuesday, saying people within the DNC and in Congress told her she would pay a price for endorsing Sanders if Clinton goes on to win the nomination and, potentially the presidency.

"I'll be very honest with you, a lot of people warned me against doing what I did," Gabbard said.

She continued to rail against Clinton for her 2002 vote to authorize the Iraq war -- a conflict in which Gabbard served -- and she questioned Clinton's continued support for "interventionist regime-change wars" in Libya and Syria.

Prior to leaving the DNC leadership, Gabbard sparred publicly with DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz over the number of presidential debates the DNC would organize between Clinton and Sanders. Gabbard pushed for more debates, which was widely seen as a threat to Clinton's front-runner status in the race.