Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wouldn’t dismiss another presidential run during a visit this week to Iowa, the only state he won during the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.
When asked during a Des Moines event whether he would rule out a 2028 bid, Buttigieg simply responded, “Nope.”
The former South Bend, Indiana, mayor’s comments came after a campaign event for Democratic state Sen. Sarah Trone Garriott, who is hoping to flip Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District blue. Buttigieg insisted that his current focus is on the midterm elections.
“I already have a lot of great friends in Iowa, and it’s been fun to reactivate some of those relationships in the service of the ticket that’s on the ballot right now in ’26,” Buttigieg added. “I’m super focused on this year’s election. The future will come, but right now, we got a very important set of elections in front of us right now.”
Buttigieg was in Iowa to campaign for Democrats, who believe they can flip both a governorship and seats in the Senate and House of Representatives. He delivered the keynote at the Iowa Democratic Party’s 1,200-seat Liberty and Justice event on Sunday.
“Pete has shown time and time again that he effectively communicates with all kinds of voters: Independents, Democrats, and Republicans alike – just the kind of coalition we need to build to win in Iowa this year,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said last month in announcing Buttigieg’s appearance.
Buttigieg has an important reason to be fond of the Hawkeye State.
Though Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) received the most votes in the 2020 Iowa caucus, Buttigieg clinched its nominating delegates after a historically narrow and contested tally. He eventually dropped out of the race and endorsed former President Joe Biden after failing to translate that momentum to the South Carolina primary.
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Iowa has historically been important for presidential hopefuls because it was the second state, after New Hampshire, to award nominating delegates. The Democratic National Committee stripped Iowa of that status ahead of the 2024 election, though it could retain its symbolic importance in a future race. The DNC has not finalized its 2028 nominating calendar.
Democrats say that Iowa does not represent their broader electorate, because 81% of the state’s population is non-Hispanic white. Buttigieg has struggled with black voters in particular, with one poll from last year finding that just 4% of the demographic supported him.