Openly gay mayor Pete Buttigieg has announced his candidacy for US president.
The Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, joined an expanding Democratic field on Wednesday (January 23) with a long-shot bid that could see him become the first openly gay presidential nominee for a major party.
Buttigieg, a 37-year-old Afghanistan veteran who married his husband, teacher Chasten Glezman, last year, emphasised his youth and progressive nature in the video launching his 2020 presidential campaign.
Watch Pete Buttigieg’s video launching his bid for president:
In the video, Buttigieg says: “I belong to a generation that is stepping forward right now.
“We’re the generation that lived through school shootings, that served in the wars after 9/11, and we’re the generation that stands to be the first to make less than our parents unless we do something different.”
“We can’t just polish off a system so broken. It is a season for boldness and a focus on the future.”
— Pete Buttigieg
Buttigieg continues: “The reality is, there’s no going back, and there’s no such thing as ‘again’ in the real world.
“We can’t look for greatness in the past. Right now, our country needs a fresh start.”
He adds: “We can’t just polish off a system so broken. It is a season for boldness and a focus on the future.”
“There’s a new generation of voices emerging in our country,” says Buttigieg, “walking away from the politics of the past and ready to deliver on our priorities.
“There is no ‘again’ in the real world. That’s no bad thing. We’re ready for a fresh start.”
The post Gay mayor Pete Buttigieg is officially running for president appeared first on PinkNews - Gay news, reviews and comment from the world's most read lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans news service.
