Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a Meet the Press interview that he would not have run for president in 2020 if he did not believe the United States was ready to elect a gay president. Buttigieg, who is openly gay, cited his own political experience in South Bend, Indiana, where he was reelected with 80% of the vote after coming out, as evidence of broader societal acceptance.
In the same interview, Buttigieg also commented on the 2022 midterm elections, expressing optimism that Democrats would perform well across the board. He suggested that Republican candidates were attempting to distance themselves from former President Donald Trump, whom he described as having a lingering political influence.
Buttigieg’s remarks come as he considers a potential 2028 presidential run, though he has not yet made a formal decision. His 2020 campaign made history as the first major presidential bid by an openly gay candidate from a major political party in the United States.
During the interview, Buttigieg emphasized that voters’ priorities in elections are focused on economic and social issues rather than a candidate’s personal identity. He stated, “What’s important, and what’s really on people’s minds, isn’t about you, your identity as a candidate; it’s about them. It’s about their lives.”
The former transportation secretary’s comments reflect ongoing discussions about LGBTQ+ representation in politics and the evolving attitudes of the American electorate toward candidates of diverse backgrounds.