Fifty-eight U.S. mayors and former mayors announced their endorsements of Pete Buttigieg in a USA Today op-ed, giving the South Bend, Indiana, mayor a boost of institutional support for his presidential campaign.
The mayors, including some who have already publicly backed Buttigieg, called for "a great mayor in the White House." The statement, written by Mayors Steve Adler of Austin, Texas; Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento, California; and Nan Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, emphasizes Buttigieg's bipartisan credentials and executive experience.
"We endorse him from heartland towns, coastal cities, suburban communities, and every other corner of our great country," the mayors wrote. "What’s more, in the spirit of the community of mayors, we are already offering Pete our best ideas and helping engage grassroots supporters all across the country."
"We’re proud to stand together as 'Mayors for Pete,' and hope you’ll join us in supporting this bold and unifying leader who will help us write a better future," they added.
Although the mayors are largely white, Buttigieg picked up some key endorsements from mayors of color, a constituency of voters with whom Buttigieg has struggled to make headway, notably including in the key-primary state of South Carolina.
Buttigieg picked up his first endorsement from a Hispanic official: Mayor Michelle De La Isla of Topeka, Kansas, the city's first Latina mayor. Former Mayor Sly James of Kansas City, Missouri, and Mayor Mark Barbee of Bridgeport, Pennsylvania, who are both black, also signed on to the endorsement.
Several mayors also hail from early nominating states, including Ryan Arndorfer of Britt, Iowa, and Suzanne Prentiss of Lebanon, New Hampshire. Another notable nod came from Breea Clark of Norman, Oklahoma, Sen. Elizabeth Warren's hometown.
Buttigieg, the first gay candidate to make traction in a presidential campaign, joined the 2020 Democratic presidential primary as a relatively unknown candidate earlier this year but had a surge of momentum. He would win a general election against Donald Trump by nine points, the Quinnipiac poll showed.
Read the statement here.
Mayor Pete with his parents
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