The race for the White House in 2028 is beginning to take shape, and Pete Buttigieg says he's leaning toward another Democratic presidential campaign.
Appearing on Steven Bartlett's "The Diary of a CEO" podcast on Aug. 3, the former transportation secretary said he is "more inclined than not" to run for president again, though he stressed that many factors could influence his decision.
"I think I'm more inclined than not, but there's so much we don't know," Buttigieg said. "There's so much I don't even know about what's going to happen this year, let alone ... what we need to know later."
Buttigieg also said becoming a parent has changed how he thinks about a potential campaign. He and his husband, Chasten, are raising two adopted children. "That's
changed all of my equations," he said. "It's just something that you really sit with and take seriously."
Early 2028 contender
Buttigieg, who finished fifth in the 2020 Democratic primary, remains one of the party's most closely watched potential 2028 candidates.
An Emerson College poll released July 23 showed Buttigieg leading the Democratic field with 19%, narrowly ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 17%. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez followed behind.
Other polling has produced different results. A McLaughlin & Associates survey released July 24 found former Vice President Kamala Harris leading the field, with Newsom second. Buttigieg placed fourth at 7%, behind Ocasio-Cortez.
The mixed results underscore how unsettled the Democratic race remains more than two years before the first votes are expected to be cast.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Peter Buttigieg signals 2028 Democratic presidential bid
