Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana is running for President in the 2020 Election. He has been gaining popularity on social media and news outlets for being the first openly gay candidate in American history.
Born in 1982, Buttigieg is one of the younger candidates working to become the 46th president. He could potentially be the first president who is a part of LGBTQ+ community and be the first candidate ever to go straight from a mayoral position to the White House. He will be running as a Democrat, and the main focuses of his campaign are “freedom, security, and democracy,” according to the New York Times.
Buttigieg, better known as Mayor Pete by his supporters, has an extensive academic background. He has earned multiple degrees from prestigious universities such as Oxford and Harvard. Buttigieg’s campaign will not only be benefitted by his academic past, but also by his involvement in the Navy for 8 years. During this time, he was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal because of his work against counterterrorism.
Pleasant Valley students are actively following Buttigieg’s historic run to Washington D.C., and many are inspired by the possibility of the change he could bring about in the future. Senior Alex Jungers, a member and strong proponent of the LGBTQ+ community, believes he himself and the community as a whole will benefit immensely from Buttigieg’s election.
“It would be a massive leap forwards in equality, and it would mean a leap forwards in making schools friendly towards the LGBTQ+ demographic,” Jungers said. He believes Buttigieg could bring about much-needed social change in the United States, like ending the transgender military ban and even influencing other countries to protect their LGBTQ+ population.
However, he warned people should not simply vote for a candidate because of their sexuality, race, gender, or religion. It’s important to research the person’s policies and beliefs on issues affecting the whole nation before even considering voting for the candidate. “[But] we’re still to early in the race to know for sure what problems he intends to tackle and how he’ll tackle them,” Jungers said.
Another student intrigued by Buttigieg’s presidential run is senior Natalie Murphy, who has always taken a special interest in government and politics. Since 2020 will be the first election Murphy can vote in, she has been keeping up with news about potential candidates.
She first became acquainted with Buttigieg’s policies and background because of his soaring popularity on the news and social media.
Buttigieg appeals to Murphy as a possible candidate because “[he] brings a lot of experience that’s different from our current president as a mayor and a candidate with a background in military service,”she said. She also appreciates his openness about the need for social equality in modern America.
Although Buttigieg is only a small town mayor from Indiana, he is already making substantial strides on his historic journey to the White House. Stay up to date on his plans for bringing more freedom, security, and democracy to the American people in the months to come. Regardless of the election results, Buttigieg is sure to leave an impact on the United States.
