Who is Pete Buttigieg? Former transport secretary positioning himself for 2028 presidential run
is making his way back to Iowa, the state where his national political career took flight during the 2020 Democratic primary. Now 43, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and
transport secretary
under President Joe Biden, is headlining a veterans' town hall in Cedar Rapids. The event, hosted by the progressive veterans' group VoteVets, comes amid growing speculation that Buttigieg is laying the groundwork for a
2028 presidential run
.
While Buttigieg has not formally declared his candidacy, he has avoided committing to other high-profile races, most recently declining to run for either Senate or governor in Michigan, where he and his husband Chasten have relocated. In public remarks and online posts, Buttigieg has focused on the need for a clearer Democratic message in response to what he calls the 'authoritarian tendencies' of President Donald Trump's administration.
'I am more motivated than ever to contribute to the future of this country,' he wrote in a recent Substack post, after confirming he would not run for office in 2026.
Though aides say his current travel is about connecting with Americans, Buttigieg joins a list of Democrats quietly testing the waters for a post-Biden era, including JB Pritzker, Wes Moore, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. For Buttigieg, who once topped the
Iowa caucus
results alongside Bernie Sanders in 2020, the return to Iowa may serve as an unofficial soft launch.
Who is Pete Buttigieg?
Born January 19, 1982, in South Bend, Indiana
Former Mayor of South Bend (elected at age 29)
Former U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Joe Biden
Served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Reserves (2009–2017), including a deployment to Afghanistan
Graduated from Harvard University in 2004 with a degree in History and Literature
Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, 2007
Worked as a consultant at McKinsey & Company (2007–2010)
Ran for president in the 2020
Democratic primaries
Openly gay and married to Chasten Glezman since 2018
Adopted twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August, with his husband
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