The already high number of Democratic candidates for the United States presidential election next year continues to grow. On Sunday, Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, officially announced to supporters in the city that he wanted to play against US President Donald Trump. „I am here to tell a story other than ‚make America great again,“ said Buttigieg, who is openly gay, with a view to Trump’s slogan.
To Buttigieg’s announcement so many people had come to South Bend that not all fit into the venue in a former car factory hall – many followed the speech in the rain on a huge screen in front of the hall. The audacity of his project as mayor of a city in the Midwestern United States and as a millennial, he said before a „Pete, Pete, Pete“ -calling audience. „More than a little daring to aim for the highest office in the country at the age of 37.“
„He represents a new generation of democratic leadership, we love his vision,“ said 35-year-old Jenn Watts, who was carrying her three-year-old daughter on her shoulders.
Harvard graduate, Afghanistan veteran, respected mayor
Buttigieg is a graduate of the elite Harvard University, has been a recipient of a prestigious Rhodes scholarship from Oxford University, speaks eight languages, and has served the 100,000-inhabitant city of South Bend for seven years. From the office, he took a seven-month break to serve as a soldier in Afghanistan. He would be the first openly gay presidential candidate of any major US party.
As mayor, Buttigieg has earned a good reputation. He is credited with helping to boost South Bend’s economy. Buttigieg entered the Democratic presidential race a few weeks ago as an outsider – meanwhile his reputation has risen sharply.
In the past few weeks, a number of Democrats have already announced their application. These include Senators Elizabeth Warren, Kamala Harris and Kirsten Gillibrand and former Housing Minister Julian Castro. The number of candidates for the candidacy against Trump is expected to increase significantly in the coming months.
