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(pete-buttigieg-gay-president.html#toggle-gdpr) Accept       (non-topics,sponsored-showtime,newsletter,native-content-sponsor)   (https://www.out.com/) Home >  (https://www.out.com/politics) Politics >    Pete Buttigieg: ‘Of course’ America is ready for a gay president   ‘I wouldn’t have run for president in the first place if I didn’t believe that,’ the former Transportation Secretary said.      (Pete Buttigieg)   Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg listens to a question from a reporter during the Spratt Issues Conference at the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center on August 22, 2026 in Florence, South Carolina  Sean Rayford/Getty Images    (https://www.out.com/politics) Politics          (https://www.out.com/authors/jacob-ogles) (Jacob Ogles)    (https://www.out.com/authors/jacob-ogles) Jacob Ogles  Sep 14, 2026   Jacob Ogles  (https://www.out.com/authors/jacob-ogles) See Full Bio                This story originally appeared on (https://www.advocate.com/politics/election/pete-buttigieg-gay-president) The Advocate .  (https://www.advocate.com/pete-buttigieg) Pete Buttigieg says “of course” America is ready for a gay president.  “I wouldn't have run for president in the first place if I didn't believe that,” he told (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4IPlKXgwDM) Meet The Press  host Kristen Welker in an interview aired Sunday. Buttigieg (https://www.advocate.com/news/2019/4/12/pete-buttigieg-has-officially-announced-his-run-president) ran for president in 2020 while serving as the mayor of South Bend, Indiana and became the first gay candidate to win a major party caucus when he (https://www.advocate.com/election/2020/2/04/buttigieg-declares-victory-then-walks-it-back-after-caucus-disaster) came out on top in Iowa. That would be the only state he won that year. But after (https://www.advocate.com/election/2020/3/02/joe-biden-gets-backing-pete-buttigieg-who-reminds-him-son-beau) endorsing Joe Biden, who compared the young Democratic star to his late son Beau, Buttigieg ended up in the (https://www.advocate.com/democratic-party) Democratic president’s Cabinet as (https://www.advocate.com/politics/2020/12/15/pete-buttigieg-nations-first-out-presidential-cabinet-nominee) Transportation Secretary . Related : (https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2019/2/26/pete-buttigieg-not-first-gay-man-run-president) Pete Buttigieg is not the first gay man to run for president  When (https://www.advocate.com/kamala-harris) Kamala Harris in 2024 ultimately took over as the Democratic nominee, she considered Buttigieg as a running mate. But she wrote in her memoir,107 Days, that while the Indiana Democrat was her first choice, the idea of a ticket with a Black woman and a gay man seemed “(https://www.advocate.com/news/pete-buttigieg-kamala-harris-election) too big of a risk .” Welker asked Buttigieg specifically about that passage during the Meet the Press Interview . In response, Buttigieg noted that even in deep red Indiana, he won (https://www.wsbt.com/news/local/pete-buttigieg-wins-re-election-for-south-bend-mayor) 80% of the vote in his re-election bid for mayor even after coming out publicly. But he also said as he travels the country now speaking with Americans, with some polls showing him as the (https://www.advocate.com/politics/national/pete-buttigieg-leads-2028-hopefuls) leading candidate in a field of Democratic contenders, he has found little objection his sexuality. Related : (https://www.advocate.com/news/tucker-carlson-pete-buttigieg-gay) Tucker Carlson accuses Pete Buttigieg of being ’not gay at all’  “What's on people's minds isn't about you, your identity as a candidate. It's about them. It’s about their lives,” he said. “Right now, Americans are hurting in [Donald] Trump’s economy. There is an opportunity to change that and the voters that I see, they are turning out in levels I didn't think was possible, coming out hundreds and hundreds at a time because they want to be part of this effort, this conversation, this movement to change the course of our country before it's too late.” While Buttigieg has hinted he could run for president in 2028, he declined to announce plans right now, citing a critical midterm election cycle in which he wants Democrats to win control of Congress. Related : (https://www.advocate.com/politics/2019/6/17/pete-buttigieg-says-its-almost-certain-weve-had-gay-presidents) Pete Buttigieg says it's ‘almost certain’ we've had gay presidents  “We are about 50 days away from a critically important midterm,” he said, “one that I believe Democrats are going to win. It’s 2026. We gotta focus on what’s happening right now. That’s what I'm doing. I think by my count, we have been to 35 states since I left the cabinet. I don’t want to do anything that would take the focus off of that.” (https://www.advocate.com/commentary/2019/2/26/pete-buttigieg-not-first-gay-man-run-president)                        FROM OUR SPONSORS              The Latest     (https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/chaka-khan-new-music-for-gay-fans) (singer Chaka Khan)    (https://www.out.com/out-exclusives) Out Exclusives (https://www.out.com/out-exclusives/chaka-khan-new-music-for-gay-fans) With new music, Chaka Khan wants queer fans to ‘keep loving, keep dancing’   The Queen of Funk has solidified her gay icon status and returns with new music to keep fans moving on the dance floor.     (https://www.out.com/authors/ricky-cornish) Ricky Cornish       (https://www.out.com/celebs/ryan-phillippe-deacon-phillippe) (Deacon Phillippe and Ryan Phillippe attend a special screening of Prime Video's "Motorheads" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.)    (https://www.out.com/celebs) Celebrities (https://www.out.com/celebs/ryan-phillippe-deacon-phillippe) Ryan Phillippe poses shirtless with his son, Deacon, in vacay pics   Like father, like son!     (https://www.out.com/authors/ricky-cornish) Ricky Cornish       (https://www.out.com/trending/chris-gallant-bdsm-ads) (Two photos of Chris Gallant)    (https://www.out.com/trending) Trending (https://www.out.com/trending/chris-gallant-bdsm-ads) Gay congressional candidate goes viral for X-rated BDSM ads   Chris Gallant, the politician who went viral after his photos surfaced, is a Black Hawk pilot, Army veteran, National Guardsman, former air traffic controller and volunteer firefighter.     (https://www.out.com/authors/arielmessman-rucker) Ariel Messman-Rucker       (https://www.out.com/celebs/kai-schreiber-trans-model-nyfw) (Kai Schreiber)    (https://www.out.com/celebs) Celebrities (https://www.out.com/celebs/kai-schreiber-trans-model-nyfw) Kai Schreiber makes history as first trans girl to win Breakthrough Model of the Year   Schreiber became the first trans girl to win the Breakthrough Model of the Year statue at The Daily Front Row’s Fashion Media Awards.     (https://www.out.com/authors/mathew-rodriguez) Mathew Rodriguez                            Sign me up!  See what's new and hot in queer entertainment, in your inbox three times a week.  (Enter your email)  Enter your email I’m in!       (politics)   (page-views)  (7d)  (non-topics,sponsored-showtime,newsletter)     ()