Former Secretary of Transportation, and likely Democratic presidential candidate in 2028, Pete Buttigieg is once again stepping into Georgia politics ahead of crucial midterm elections.
Buttigieg, who has spent the years following his work in the Biden Administration staying connected with politics and appearing on television shows, podcasts and more from both sides of the aisle, has long been a favored prospect for the Democratic nomination in two years.
In recent polling from Emerson College, Buttigiegled other contenders like Gavin Newsom, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Georgia's own Jon Ossoff as a likely nominee, and in a recent appearance on "The Diary of a CEO" podcast he said he was "more inclined than not" to run for president again.
Buttigieg
has run for president before, so he, like other hopefuls, understands that all roads to the presidency lead through Georgia.
Buttigieg endorses Keisha Lance Bottoms for governor
In an interview with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Buttigieg endorsed Democratic candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms against Republican healthcare CEO Rick Jackson in her race for the governor's seat.
"Georgia is such a dynamic state, and I think it's only going to become more politically important largely because Democrats keep winning there," Buttigieg told the outlet. "This is a purple state trending blue, but only if we do the work. Obviously, I want to be part of the solution there and lend my hand to doing the work."
Buttigieg said he knew Bottoms not only when she was mayor of Atlanta, but also during their shared time in the Biden Administration following Bottoms' decision not to run for a second term as mayor. He said she has a "problem solving approach that people expect from leadership" and she can stand up to those who do not prioritize the best interests of Georgians.
He also said that now is the perfect time to appeal to more center-leaning Republicans.
“A lot of people who have a habit of voting Republican are giving us a hearing for the first time in a long time because they’re seeing that so many of the promises that were made to them just aren’t coming true,” he told the AJC.
During her primary, Bottoms was also endorsed by former President Joe Biden, who said she "faced every challenge a leader could face."
"A global pandemic, a major cyber attack on the city systems, economic uncertainty that tested every community across Georgia, but she handled it all with steady, thoughtful leadership," Biden said. "That's the definition of battle-tested."
Bottoms served as a senior advisor to the president and the director of the White House Office of Public Engagement.
Three Georgia Democrats get Buttigieg backing
Buttigieg has publicly supported Jon Ossoff's reelection bid for the U.S. Senate seat, but he dipped into another crucial Georgia race earlier in the year.
In February, Buttigieg endorsed Democrat Shawn Harris in his bid to replace former congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene in a special in a deep red district in northwest Georgia.
"There's no such thing as a permanently red state or district, and I believe Shawn Harris has the background and values to bring together and win," the former secretary said in a statement Feb. 20.
Buttigieg and Harris share a military history, the former serving as a Navy intelligence officer in Afghanistan, and the latter as a retired Brigadier general.
"Shawn is running because he knows the status quo in Washington isn't working for people in the district, and he's ready to get to work to lower prescription drug prices, pass a farm bill that works for rural Georgia and defend Medicare and Medicaid," Buttigieg said.
Harris went on to lose the special election to MAGA candidate Clay Fuller, but he performed better than any Democrat in the district in recent memory. Harris is running again in November against Fuller as he tries to secure a full term.
Irene Wright covers Georgia politics as the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA TODAY’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pete Buttigieg enters Georgia politics again with governor endorsement
