Indiana mayor gains momentum in campaign for DNC chair
WASHINGTON (WISH) – An Indiana mayor will have his chance to convince democrats that he should lead their party Wednesday night during the Democratic National Committee’s leadership debate.
South Bend’s Mayor Pete Buttigieg is among the eight candidates vying to be selected as the DNC chairperson.
CNN did not announce who would be invited to the debate it would host ahead of time.
Though considered an underdog to front runners Representative Keith Ellison of Minnesota and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez, Buttigieg’s campaign gained momentum in the week ahead of the DNC vote.
Nine mayors from across the country joined former DNC chair Steve Grossman in endorsing Buttigieg for the position. Grossman led the party until President Bill Clinton from 1997 to 1999.
In a video posted on his DNC campaign website, Buttigieg drew comparisons to changes South Bend has experienced to what he would like to see happen with the Democratic Party.
“We faced the fact that our industrial economy was changing forever and we found new ways for families to get ahead. Now, our city is growing faster than it has in years. Today, I see our party needing a fresh start as well. Right now as democrats, we are at our lowest level of national, state and local influence in nearly a century. It’s time to make a new plan for our future,” Buttigieg said.
The party’s leadership debate was scheduled to air on CNN at 10 p.m. Wednesday. The party’s 447 members were set to vote on a selection the following Saturday, Feb. 25.