Pete Buttigieg, the former Mayor of South Bend, a failed presidential candidate, and now an often absent Secretary of Transportation, is moving his family from Indiana to Michigan in one of the most nakedly politically ambitious moves of all time:
Just in time for 2024 — Buttigieg moves from red state to a battleground
“Michigan is a much more hospitable state for a fellow Democrat with political ambitions.”
@AlexThomp @maxwelltani report https://t.co/7gkBlkoPsZ
— Natasha Korecki (@natashakorecki) July 8, 2022
From Politico:
Buttigieg’s move was for family reasons, specifically, his husband’s family, a Department of Transportation spokesperson said. “Moving to Chasten’s hometown of Traverse City allowed them to be closer to his parents, which became especially important to them after they adopted their twins, often relying on Chasten’s parents for help with child care,” the person said.
But the move also has another significant benefit. With two Democratic senators and a Democratic governor, Michigan is a much more hospitable state for a fellow Democrat with political ambitions. It’s also in the running to replace Iowa as the first presidential nominating contest. Buttigieg has been grip-and-grinning the state’s politicos as well, visiting the annual Mackinac Policy Conference in recent weeks.
His old PAC is getting involved in races, too:
NEW w/ @adamwren @maxwelltani:
Pete Buttigieg has changed his residency to Michigan & will vote there this fall
His old PAC has begun the process of endorsing candidates
He had dinner with Lis Smith, Chasten and Mallory McMorrow last week after a DNC eventhttps://t.co/F8M3AI00xX— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 8, 2022
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[Whispers]: He never stopped running for president:
These are the politicians you avoid like the plague — always running for the next job. Their ambition exceeds their competence. The Mayor of South Bend jumps to Michigan in pursuit of the next job. https://t.co/ENuTnaunMW
— Erick Erickson (@EWErickson) July 8, 2022
What’s funny is that Joe Biden is so bad that Buttigieg thinks he has a shot, even with his failures leading the Department of Transportation:
But Buttigieg’s political ambitions will be complicated by his time at DOT given the recent crises over supply chains and recent air travel.
— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) July 8, 2022
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