Pete Buttigieg, a little-known mayor of a modest-sized Midwest city, has become an unlikely rising star in the Democratic presidential field. In just a matter of a month, this year-old - who would be the youngest and the first openly gay US president - has transformed himself from long-shot to legitimate contender for the White House. Speaking to an audience gathered to see him in Manchester, New Hampshire, he admits that his campaign has had a "really good few weeks". A month ago, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, was a political afterthought in a Democratic field that seems to be expanding by the day. That was before a well-received nationally televised town hall appearance that caught the attention of political commentators and a public that was, perhaps, in search of a fresh face.
Pete Buttigieg Says There Have Probably Been Gay Presidents. Here's Why That Theory Is Complicated
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South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Announces He's Gay
Mayor Pete Buttigieg's announcement Tuesday that he is gay drew a quick and largely positive response online and in local, statewide and even national political circles. It also positioned the first-term Democrat as the first openly gay executive in the state, and the highest elected official in Indiana to come out. Pete is the same exact guy today as he was yesterday," Jason Critchlow, chair of the St. Joseph County Democratic Party, said. Both men described Buttigieg's decision to come out as "courageous" in light of still-evolving views on homosexuality. A recent poll showed support for same-sex marriage in Indiana at 47 percent, compared with about 57 percent nationwide. Despite personal objections to homosexuality, Kelly Jones, the mayor's Republican opponent, applauded him for his bravery.
Cruising in South Bend, Indiana
Rebuking our former governor and current Vice President , our mayor in South Bend tells us that it is his Creator who made him gay. Although he cites neither Scripture nor philosophical argument, Mayor Buttigieg bases this assertion presumably on his own experience. The common argument, which the mayor alludes to, is that having discovered strong homosexual desires which were not chosen, one realizes that God made him this way. This is an important claim.
When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriages, America generally, and the gay community specifically, celebrated. Same-sex marriages, and the gay and lesbian movement is more mainstream than ever. While the national discussion has been brought to the forefront, at the state level, conversations continue.
