Did Buttigieg make a mistake not running for Michigan Senate/Governor?

[Cameron]

He's a top POTUS contender for 2028 because he is whip-smart and hyper-articulate, but his resume is limited to his time as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Transportation Secretary. Then again, had he decided to run for 2026, then virtually as soon as he took office as Senator or Governor, essentially 100% of his time would need to be spent running for POTUS, which could give rise to criticism and create problems, especially if his vote was regularly needed in a closely split Senate.

Personally, I think he should have run for Senate in 2024, which would have given him the current two-year cycle to be the leading young voice in the Senate before turning to the POTUS cycle in 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/pete-buttigieg-michigan-senate-run-00227583

 

[joluoto]

Why would he embarrass himself by losing a Governor or Senate race when he can aim higher and lose a Presidential race?

 

[holbritter]

He's a top POTUS contender for 2028 because he is whip-smart and hyper-articulate, but his resume is limited to his time as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Transportation Secretary. Then again, had he decided to run for 2026, then virtually as soon as he took office as Senator or Governor, essentially 100% of his time would need to be spent running for POTUS, which could give rise to criticism and create problems, especially if his vote was regularly needed in a closely split Senate.

Personally, I think he should have run for Senate in 2024, which would have given him the current two-year cycle to be the leading young voice in the Senate before turning to the POTUS cycle in 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/pete-buttigieg-michigan-senate-run-00227583

I don't think he needs to. I think he has enough experience.....more than many in this current administration.
I wish this country was ready to elect Pete, but I'm not sure they are. I am.

 

[Gatsby]

If he wants to be president some day, he should first win a statewide election somewhere, and govern well. He should forget about running for president in 2028. He's still young, he could run in 2032 or 2036.

 

[Perotista]

He's a top POTUS contender for 2028 because he is whip-smart and hyper-articulate, but his resume is limited to his time as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Transportation Secretary. Then again, had he decided to run for 2026, then virtually as soon as he took office as Senator or Governor, essentially 100% of his time would need to be spent running for POTUS, which could give rise to criticism and create problems, especially if his vote was regularly needed in a closely split Senate.

Personally, I think he should have run for Senate in 2024, which would have given him the current two-year cycle to be the leading young voice in the Senate before turning to the POTUS cycle in 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/pete-buttigieg-michigan-senate-run-00227583

Buttigieg was an also ran for the 2024 democratic nomination. I don’t consider him as a top contender. On the other hand, at this point in time, there is no top contender/s for the nomination in 2028. But if Buttigieg wanted to advance his political career and standing among the democratic party, he should have ran for either governor or the senate. Now, he’ll just fade away.

 

[VySky]

He's a top POTUS contender for 2028 because he is whip-smart and hyper-articulate, but his resume is limited to his time as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and Transportation Secretary. Then again, had he decided to run for 2026, then virtually as soon as he took office as Senator or Governor, essentially 100% of his time would need to be spent running for POTUS, which could give rise to criticism and create problems, especially if his vote was regularly needed in a closely split Senate.

Personally, I think he should have run for Senate in 2024, which would have given him the current two-year cycle to be the leading young voice in the Senate before turning to the POTUS cycle in 2026.

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/13/pete-buttigieg-michigan-senate-run-00227583

If Bootyfudge is a top contender then the Republicans are resting easier.

 

[The Brad Dad]

Nah. Arguments like this were for a time when national exposure was tied to a national facing job. It's not the case anymore. It's an old legacy media trope.

 

[The Brad Dad]

If Bootyfudge is a top contender then the Republicans are resting easier.

You're going to say that about any name that winds up the nominee. The last thing you want is a comp with Pete and say Vance.

 

[Gatsby]

Nah. Arguments like this were for a time when national exposure was tied to a national facing job. It's not the case anymore. It's an old legacy media trope.

It's not about getting national exposure, it's about demonstrating that he can win an election in a competitive state and then govern well.

 

[The Brad Dad]

It's not about getting national exposure, it's about demonstrating that he can win an election in a competitive state and then govern well.

That all was true before 2015.

 

[Gatsby]

That all was true before 2015.

Huh? Why was it true then and not now?

If his answer to the question "Why should we trust you to be the one person in the entire country who is the Democratic presidential nominee?" is "I got elected Mayor of South Bend, Indiana"...well, that's not a very convincing sales pitch.

 

[The Brad Dad]

Huh? Why was it true then and not now?

If his answer to the question "Why should we trust you to be the one person in the entire country who is the Democratic presidential nominee?" is "I got elected Mayor of South Bend, Indiana"...well, that's not a very convincing sales pitch.

Hes already a nationally known figure who ran for president. You probably still think VP picks are super importsnt. All legacy media bullshit.

 

[Gatsby]

Hes already a nationally known figure who ran for president.

And he failed. He lost the only election for which anyone knows him.

You probably still think VP picks are super importsnt. All legacy media bullshit.

What are you even talking about? Stay on subject.

 

[BirdinHand]

If he would have tried to run for any office, the immediate characterization would have been “see, Kamala doesn’t stand a chance…look Buttigieg is hedging his bets and jumping ship for XYZ”

Frankly, if I was him, I’d go and spend my time focusing on my family and start a private consulting firm.

The man has faced nothing but harassment due to his orientation - as we see above with the “Bootyfudge” bullshit.

We don’t deserve someone with his level of intelligence in government. This country is too bigoted to give him a fair shot or the respect his intelligence deserves.

He should just go off and make a ton of money for himself and his family and let this festering shithole country drag itself into the 1800’s

 

[The Brad Dad]

And he failed. He lost the only election for which anyone knows him.

So? He didn't fail cause he wasn't governor somewhere. Lots of govs run and fail too. Your response here is myopic.

What are you even talking about? Stay on subject.

You're argung legacy old people bullshit that has no perch in 2025.

 

[Gatsby]

So? He didn't fail cause he wasn't governor somewhere. Lots of govs run and fail too. Your response here is myopic.

Obviously being a governor is no guarantee that someone will be a successful presidential nominee since there are far more governors than presidential nominees. But almost every governor can at least point out that they are able to win a statewide election, which Buttigieg cannot do.

You're argung legacy old people bullshit that has no perch in 2025.

I wondered how it was even possible to rack up 3,877 posts in less than a month on this forum. It's because they're mostly low-quality stuff like this. You have a great day.

 

[The Brad Dad]

Obviously being a governor is no guarantee that someone will be a successful presidential nominee since there are far more governors than presidential nominees.

Yeah, I guess that's a big ol no shit

I wondered how it was even possible to rack up 3,877 posts in less than a month on this forum. It's because they're mostly low-quality stuff like this. You have a great day.

Some folks are just worth more effort. Enjoy your lunch.

 

[BirdinHand]

And he failed. He lost the only election for which anyone knows him

Because he’s gay.



And a large segment of this country is reticent to put diversity in leadership positions, despite all the lip service otherwise.

The only thing that carried Obama was performance in suburban districts around major metro areas.

He handidly lost “rural” America - and basically any and every Democrat will.

Stop pandering to these voters. They’re NOT going to change. It’s time to stop trying to play to them and hoping to change them.

You’ve got to run the votes up in the population centers around major metro areas to win elections - and in order to do that,
You have to really turn out the vote in major metro regions.

Go further left and give them what they want. Stop pandering to a voter base that you don’t stand to gain much ground in. Go MORE progressive in economic policies. Go MORE progressive in taxation and the services received in return for taxation.

Give the metro voters a return on their federal tax dollars, instead of those tax dollars always being shipped off to the red zones.

It’s the only way for democrats to win. Stop caring what republican voters and independents that have republican cultural focus think.

Go all in on more progressive economic policies and let the chips fall where they may.

The voting block democrats need to chase are young voters and those in major metro areas that just aren’t inspired enough to go to the polls.

Chase them. That’s where you can pick up the most and win.

 

[Gatsby]

Because he’s gay.

Maybe? I dunno. But if he can't win a Democratic primary (or a statewide general election) because of his sexual orientation, then that's a pretty good reason not to nominate him for president.

And this country is reticent to put diversity in leadership positions, despite all the lip service otherwise.

The only thing that carried Obama was performance in suburban districts around major metro areas.

He handidly lost “rural” America - and basically any and every Democrat will.

Stop pandering to these voters. They’re NOT going to change. It’s time to stop trying to play to them and hoping to change them.

OK but if you're going to write off all those voters, then which voters are we adding to make up for it? What's the game plan to win the election?

You’ve got to run the votes up in the population centers around major metro areas to win elections - and in order to do that,
You have to really turn out the vote in major metro regions.

Sure, I guess? Is Pete Buttigieg especially good at turning out the vote in major metro regions? South Bend isn't a big metro area, and the main thing I remember about his last presidential run is that he had ~0% of the black vote.

Go further left and give them what they want.

What is the evidence that that's what they want, and that there are enough voters there to win an election with this strategy?

Stop pandering to a voter base that you don’t stand to gain much ground in. Go MORE progressive in economic policies. Go MORE progressive in taxation and the services received in return for taxation.


Give the metro voters a return on their federal tax dollars, instead of those tax dollars always being shipped off to the red zones.

Your first line contradicts your second line. Being more progressive on taxation and spending will necessitate more money from metro areas going to rural areas. The only ways to not do that are to have less redistribution or to have more confederacy, neither of which are associated with progressivism.

 

[BirdinHand]

Being more progressive on taxation and spending will necessitate more money from metro areas going to rural areas

Rural areas will benefit, yes.

But look around the globe - we have Japan hitting incredible Internet speeds.

We have China with high speed rail.

We have just about every other country with universal healthcare, paid maternity/paternity leave, etc.

Infrastructure. Healthcare. Educational opportunity. (Universal preschool, expand k-12 to be K- community college/tech school)

Those are winning issues. Invest energy and planning around those.

 

[The Brad Dad]

Maybe? I dunno. But if he can't win a Democratic primary (or a statewide general election) because of his sexual orientation, then that's a pretty good reason not to nominate him for president.

Comments like this are why “centrist” dems are just maga lite, and it’s why the party is moving away from this type of thinking.

 

[Napoleon]

No. Buttigieg is forever tainted by his affiliation with Mad Joe.

 

[BirdinHand]

if he can't win a Democratic primary (or a statewide general election) because of his sexual orientation, then that's a pretty good reason not to nominate him for president

I don’t see him as a contender for anything

 

[The Brad Dad]

I don’t see him as a contender for anything

I can see Pete being a contender in 2028.

 

[Risky Thicket]

If Bootyfudge is a top contender then the Republicans are resting easier.

Republicans or MAGAs? Which do you mean?