Pete Buttigieg told Steven Bartlett on Aug. 3 that he is "more inclined than not" to seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2028, but said many uncertainties remain. He added that becoming a parent with his husband, Chasten, and their two adopted children has reshaped how he weighs a campaign. Polling is mixed: an Emerson College survey (July 23) put Buttigieg at 19%, while a McLaughlin & Associates poll (July 24) showed him at 7% with Kamala Harris leading. The contrasting polls highlight an unsettled Democratic primary more than two years out.
Pete Buttigieg Says He's 'More Inclined Than Not' to Run for President in 2028
Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel(Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told host Steven Bartlett on The Diary of a CEO podcast on Aug. 3 that he is "more inclined than not" to pursue a Democratic presidential run in 2028, while emphasizing that many variables could still shape 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 with his husband, Chasten, has changed how he evaluates a possible campaign. The couple are raising two adopted children, and Buttigieg said family considerations are now a major factor in any decision to run. "That's changed all of my equations," he said. "It's just something that you really sit with and take seriously."
Buttigieg, who finished fifth in the 2020 Democratic primary after serving as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and later as President Biden's transportation secretary, remains one of the party's most-watched potential contenders for 2028.
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff(Jack Gruber, USA TODAY)
Polling Snapshot
Polling this summer has been mixed, underlining how unsettled the Democratic field remains more than two years before voting begins. An Emerson College poll released July 23 showed Buttigieg leading the Democratic field at 19%, narrowly ahead of California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 17%, with Sen. Jon Ossoff and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also in contention. By contrast, a McLaughlin & Associates survey released July 24 put former Vice President Kamala Harris in the lead and placed Buttigieg at 7%.
These divergent results reflect differences in sampling, timing and name recognition, and make clear that the 2028 Democratic primary picture is still fluid.
Reporting credit: Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow on X @fern_cerv_.
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