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.
