Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spent part of the weekend in the Borderland, rallying Democrats in Las Cruces and stopping for a meal at an iconic El Paso Mexican restaurant.
Buttigieg dined at Carlos and Mickey's with state Sen. Cesar Blanco,
according to a Sept. 13 Facebook post from Blanco. The two posed for a photo inside the restaurant, known for its colorful, eclectic decor."Catching up in El Paso with my fellow Veteran over some great Mexican food and good conversation," Blanco wrote.
The El Paso stop came as Buttigieg visited nearby Las Cruces for an "All for New Mexico"rally alongside Democratic gubernatorial nominee Deb Haaland and U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez, who is seeking reelection in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional
District.
Buttigieg also has a family connection to Las Cruces.
His parents, Joseph Buttigieg and Jennifer Anne Montgomery, met while both were faculty members at New Mexico State University before eventually moving to South Bend, Indiana.
Buttigieg, who served as mayor of South Bend before running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has recently signaled that he is considering another White House bid in 2028.
During an August appearance on Steven Bartlett's "The Diary of a CEO" podcast, Buttigieg said he was leaning toward running again but had not made a decision.
“I think I’m more inclined than not, but there’s so much we don’t know,” Buttigieg told Bartlett.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on X, natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Pete Buttigieg dines at Carlos and Mickey's, rallies in Las Cruces
