Pete Buttigieg says the U.S. is ready for a gay president

Pete Buttigieg has stated that the United States is ready to elect a gay president. The former U.S. Transportation Secretary and former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, made these comments during an interview with Meet the Press.

His remarks follow comments in a book by former Vice President Kamala Harris regarding the 2024 election. Harris noted that while Buttigieg would have been an ideal running mate, she viewed a ticket featuring a Black woman and a gay man as too significant a risk at the time.

Buttigieg cited his own political history as evidence that voters prioritize issues over identity. He pointed to his re-election as mayor of South Bend with approximately 80% of the vote after coming out as gay. He suggested that voters are currently more focused on economic concerns and their daily lives than on a candidate's sexual orientation.