![](https://www.gaytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Pete-Buttigieg.jpg)
Pete Buttigieg launched his official bid yesterday to be the Democratic Party nominee for the 2020 presidential election.
Buttigieg, a 37-year-old Navy veteran, is currently the mayor of South Bend, a town in Indiana. Not only is he the first openly gay presidential candidate, he is the youngest entrant for the Democratic party.
“It is time to walk away from the politics of the past and toward something totally different,” he announced at his launch event in South Bend. “That’s why, this time, it’s not just about winning an election – it’s about winning an era.
“There’s a long way for us to go. Life here is far from perfect. But we’ve changed our trajectory and shown a path forward for communities like ours. And that’s why I’m here today. To tell a different story than ‘Make America Great Again.'”
Making a surge in the polls, Buttigieg is firmly securing his place among the candidates, showing that his support is gathering. After his speech on Sunday, his supporters contributed more than $1 million in four hours towards his presidential campaign.
He also set out his ideas to “re-imagine our future” as well as promising “totally different” politics from current president Donald Trump.
At a recent LGBTQ event, Buttigieg spoke out about his sexuality: “If being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade.”
As well as addressing issues with current vice president of the United States… “And that’s the thing I wish the Mike Pence’s of the world would understand: that if you’ve got a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.”
Watch his presidential bid announcement below.