Peter Paul Montgomery Buttigieg, better known as Pete Buttigieg, is a 37 year-old former Navy intelligence officer and the current mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
He is the only open member of the LGBTQ community running in the 2020 election, while also being the youngest running.
The Washington Post is calling him, “the underdog to watch,” as Buttigieg has raised $23 million to date and has been fairly stable in the polls. He has been making his voice heard in debates and has gained a following while doing so.
According to Morning Consult, as of Oct. 16, Buttigieg stands in fifth place in the polls with a six percent rating. This puts him higher than 12 of his fellow candidates, and close to Kamala Harris who is at seven percent.
Buttigieg intends to make everyone’s voice heard and he wants to build a society that works for every American.
In light of climate change, gun control, abortion rights, health care and immigration issues, Buttigieg has been very open about his future plans for the United States.
As president, he plans to treat climate change “like the emergency it is.”
According to his campaign website, he plans to, “implement a Green New Deal with all available tools, including a carbon tax-and-dividend for Americans, and support major direct investment to build a 100% clean energy society.”
Inside Climate News calls his plans for climate change, “more restrained on spending,” while also bringing new ideas to the table.
With Buttigieg belonging to the generation of school shootings, he believes in gun laws that “just make sense.”
According to his campaign website, two-thirds of gun-related deaths are due to suicide and he wants to make it harder to access guns.
He has a plan to implement “red flag laws,” also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders in addition to waiting periods.
Another issue Buttigieg plans to address in his presidency is the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community himself, Buttigieg also plans on working hard to ensure the community is accepted as any human being should be.
According to his campaign website, he wants to “Pass the Equality Act; reverse the ban on transgender military service; enforce the nondiscrimination provisions of the Affordable Care Act and key federal civil rights laws; protect LGBTQ refugees and asylum seekers.”
Along with this, he plans on banning conversion therapy. According to the Movement Advancement Project, 53 percent of LGBTQ Americans live in states with no conversion therapy bans in place.
Although he is one of the male candidates, he still feels strongly for women’s rights. Buttigieg believes that all women should have access to legal abortion, and the government should not have a negative impact on this.
He wants there to be healthy reproductive health options available but does not want the government to ban a woman’s rights to these things.
Buttigieg is one of America’s 16 choices for a Democratic nominee, and as Buttigieg’s website says, “it’s time for a new generation of American leadership.”
For more information on Pete Buttigieg’s campaign, please go to peteforamerica.com.