Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg's political career has been marked by a number of significant milestones. Having served as the 32nd mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 to 2020, Buttigieg initiated transformative projects such as the "Vacant and Abandoned Properties Initiative," also known as "1,000 Properties in 1,000 Days", and the Smart Streets program, both aimed at revitalizing the city's urban environment. His tenure as mayor was also punctuated by his public opposition to Indiana Senate Bill 101, a controversial piece of legislation criticized for enabling discrimination against LGBTQ individuals. In the midst of this controversy, Buttigieg came out as gay, marking a significant moment in his personal and political life.

Buttigieg's political journey continued beyond his mayoral role as he launched a campaign for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. His campaign was marked by a historic moment as he became the first openly gay man to launch a major Democratic presidential campaign and won the Iowa caucuses, making him the first openly gay candidate to win a presidential primary or caucus. After ending his campaign, Buttigieg endorsed Joe Biden for president and was later confirmed as the 19th United States Secretary of Transportation by a vote of 86–13, becoming the first openly gay Cabinet secretary in U.S. history. His role has seen him reinstate an Obama-era pilot program for local hiring for public works projects and launch a $1 billion Reconnecting Communities pilot program focused on establishing racial equity inroads.

Buttigieg's academic and professional background complements his political career. He was a Rhodes Scholar, studying at the University of Oxford, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree with first-class honors in philosophy, politics, and economics. He also has experience as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. Buttigieg's work extends to the field of national security, having served as a fellow with the Truman National Security Project, focusing on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Furthermore, he was deployed to Afghanistan during his service in the U.S. Navy Reserve, earning the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his service. Buttigieg's experiences and accomplishments have been documented in the documentary film "Mayor Pete" and in his own books, "Shortest Way Home" and "Trust: America's Best Chance."