A video of a voter asking to withdraw her vote for Democratic Presidential candidate Pete Buttigeig has gone viral, the reason – the woman changed her mind – she found out Pete Buttigeig is married to husband Chasten.
The Iowa Caucus is the first time on the campaign trail that candidates get an official endorsement from party members.
To become the endorsed candidate for the party politicians must gain the most delegates. The state of Iowa has 49 delegate votes, and 41 are decided via the caucus process.
Last week’s event in Iowa was plagued with problems as an app used to consolidate the votes failed to work, and it was days before officials were able to declare how each candidate had done.
Pete Buttigieg, who if elected would become the first President of the USA who has shared that they are in a same-sex relationship, picked up the most delegates. Buttigieg picked up 13 delegates,while Bernie Sanders was awarded 12, Elizabeth Warren received 8, while former Vice President Joe Biden performed below expectation picking up only 6. Amy Klobuchar has 1 delegate.
One person Pete Buttigeig didn’t get the support of was a woman who was unaware that he is gay.
“I don’t want anybody like that in the White House” the woman declares, before saying she is guided by her Christian beliefs that only men and women can marry.
Pete Buttigeig has responded to the video saying he’s prepared for some people to not be able to support him because of his sexuality.
The candidate said he was proud of the effort precinct captain Nikki van den Heever made trying to appeal to the woman to look beyond his personal life and focus on policies.
Appearing on the TV show The View Buttigeig said if even if the women didn’t give him her support, he wanted her to know he was running to be President for everyone.
“What I want her to know is that I’m running to be her president, too,” he said of the Iowa voter. “Of course, I wish she was able to see that my love is the same as her love for those she cares about, that my marriage means as much to me as hers if she’s married, but if she can’t see that, and even if because she can’t see that, she won’t vote for me, I am still, if I’m elected president, going to get up in the morning, and try to make the best decisions for her and the people she loves, as I will work to serve every American, whether they supported me or not.”
So far 29 people have nominated to be the Democrats candidate for the Presidency, although many have already dropped out of the race.
At 38, Pete Buttigeig is the youngest candidate in the Democrats field, Tulsi Gabbard is one year older, Andrew Yang is 45, Michael Bennett is 55, Amy Klobuchar is 59, Tom Steyer is 62, Deval Patrick is 63, Elizabeth Warren is 70, former Vice President Joe Biden is 77, as is New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, while Bernie Sanders is 78.
If successful Buttigeig would be the youngest US President ever, currently the record is held by Theodore Roosevelt who was 45 when he was assumed office in 1858. The oldest President at the start of their tenure is current leader Donald Trump who was 77 years old when he was sworn in.
OIP Staff
