Former Biden Cabinet member Pete Buttigieg gets fresh odds of securing Democratic nod as he says he’s ‘more inclined than not’ to run for president
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg recently indicated that he might seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2028, saying he is “more inclined than not” to run. The comments come as new polling shows Buttigieg emerging as one of the party’s strongest early contenders, even as prediction markets continue to favor other Democrats.
Pete Buttigieg signals growing interest in 2028 presidential campaign
Speaking on the podcast “The Diary of a CEO” with Steven Bartlett, Buttigieg said becoming a father fundamentally changed how he views another presidential campaign. “That’s changed all of my equations,” Buttigieg said. “It’s just something that you really sit with and take seriously, which you should.” Buttigieg and his husband adopted twins in 2021.
Although he stopped short of formally announcing a campaign, his remarks represent his strongest public indication yet that he is seriously considering another run after finishing fifth in the 2020 Democratic primary, which Joe Biden ultimately won.
Polls show Pete Buttigieg holding his own among Democratic frontrunners
Recent polls suggest Buttigieg would enter a 2028 Democratic primary as one of the party’s leading candidates. A Manhattan Institute poll conducted July 1to July 6 placed him third with 13% support, behind former Vice President Kamala Harris at 19% and California Gov. Gavin Newsom at 15%. An Emerson College survey conducted July 19 and July 20 put Buttigieg in first place with 19%, ahead of Newsom’s 17%, while Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Jon Ossoff each received 13%. Harris trailed with 8%.
A Public Sentiment Institute survey of Michigan voters, conducted July 25 to July 29, showed Buttigieg at 24.2%, more than 10 points ahead of Ossoff, while Harris received 5.1%.
Prediction markets favor Gavin Newsom
Despite his polling momentum, prediction markets have been slower to embrace Buttigieg’s prospects. As of early August, Polymarket listed Newsom as the favorite for the Democratic nomination at 19%, followed by Ocasio-Cortez at 15%, Ossoff at 14% and Harris at 9%. Kalshi showed a similar ranking, with Newsom at 18%, Ossoff at 15%, Ocasio-Cortez at 14% and Harris at 9.5%. Buttigieg’s own odds have remained in the mid-single digits for much of the year despite his strong polling performance.
Pete Buttigieg’s early standing echoes his 2020 rise
Buttigieg’s early standing echoes his unexpected rise during the 2020 presidential race, when the then-37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, a little-known local official, went on to win Iowa before narrowly finishing second in New Hampshire. New Hampshire Institute of Politics Director Neil Levesque said voters there “focused in on him” during the last presidential cycle and appear to be doing so again. “This state was just made for him.”
Buttigieg has strengthened his national profile through frequent appearances on Fox News, where he has challenged the Trump administration on immigration enforcement, the Iran war and other issues. Democratic strategist Steve Schale said Buttigieg possesses a rare political skill: “He can effectively indict the Trump presidency while still giving Democrats an aspirational vision for the future,” Schale said.