How the contributions of Pete Buttigieg continue to shape the world today.
Pete Buttigieg is an American politician and former naval officer, most notably serving as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation (2021-2025) and as the Mayor of South Bend, Indiana (2012-2020). A member of the Democratic Party, his mayoral tenure earned him the moniker "Mayor Pete." His career blends political leadership with prior military service.
2012: Boykins asked to resign as mayor
In 2012, Buttigieg made his "first serious mistake as mayor" by asking Darryl Boykins to resign.
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November 2016: Praise from The New York Times and Barack Obama
In November 2016, Frank Bruni of The New York Times published a column praising Buttigieg's work as mayor, questioning if he might be "the first gay president". Additionally, Barack Obama cited him as one of the Democratic Party's talents.
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February 12, 2019: Publication of "Shortest Way Home"
On February 12, 2019, amid the start of his presidential effort, Buttigieg published his debut book, the autobiography titled "Shortest Way Home".
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June 2019: Named one of Queerty's "Pride50"
To mark the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, Queerty named Buttigieg one of its "Pride50" people in June 2019, recognizing him as a trailblazer for queer equality.
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August 2020: Equality Trailblazer Award
In August 2020, Equality California, an LGBT-rights organization, gave Buttigieg and his husband Chasten their Equality Trailblazer Award.
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October 2020: Release of "Trust: America's Best Chance"
In October 2020, Buttigieg released his second book, titled "Trust: America's Best Chance".
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2020: South Bend Ranked Among Best Small Cities
In 2020, the website Best Cities ranked South Bend number 39 on its list of the 100 best small cities in the United States. This recognition cited Buttigieg's efforts to revitalize the Studebaker factory and Downtown South Bend.
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March 2023: Buttigieg Addresses Derailment Response Criticism
In March 2023, Pete Buttigieg acknowledged he erred in not visiting East Palestine sooner and failing to anticipate the fallout from the derailment.
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2023: Study on Buttigieg's Electability Published
In 2023, a study by political scientists from Loyola Marymount University reported how different aspects of Buttigieg's biography affected voters' views on his electability as a US President, highlighting the impact of his military background.
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August 2024: Inducted into LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame
In August 2024, Buttigieg was inducted by the LGBTQ Victory Fund into the LGBTQ+ Political Hall of Fame.
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2050: Carbon Neutral Goal by 2050
In 2050, the city of South Bend aims to be carbon neutral, as outlined in the Carbon Neutral 2050 plan approved by the Common Council in November 2019.
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