Buttigieg says America ready for gay president

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated on Sunday that he believes America is ready for a gay president, citing his own electoral success and current voter engagement. The comments came during an interview on Meet the Press, where host Kristen Welker referenced a passage from Vice President Kamala Harris's 2025 memoir, "107 Days." In the book, Harris wrote that Buttigieg was her first choice for a running mate in the 2024 election but that she chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz because selecting a gay man was "too big of a risk" given the stakes. Buttigieg responded to the question of national readiness by saying, "I wouldn't have run for president in the first place, if I didn't believe that, of course." He pointed to his 2015 reelection as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, where he won 80% of the vote after coming out as gay, as evidence that voters prioritize issues over a candidate's identity. "What's on people's minds isn't about you, your identity as a candidate. It's about them. It's about their lives," he said.