The first black mayor of Waterloo, Iowa, endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Pete ButtigiegPete ButtigiegScaled-back Pride Month poses challenges for fundraising, outreach Biden hopes to pick VP by Aug. 1 It’s as if a Trump operative infiltrated the Democratic primary process MORE less than a month before Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses.
Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart said Buttigieg will not ignore communities like the city he serves because the former South Bend, Ind., mayor “comes from one.”
“Pete is running to bring the same transformative approach he brought to his city to our country — and I’m proud to stand alongside him in that effort,” Hart said in a statement Tuesday. “As our nation moves forward, we cannot continue to ignore communities like ours, and I know that Pete won’t forget places like Waterloo because he comes from one.”
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Waterloo is the most racially diverse city in the state, according to The Associated Press. The endorsement could give Buttigieg a boost as he struggles to court black voters, a large portion of the Democratic electorate.
Black Lives Matter protesters disrupted a Buttigieg campaign event in Iowa on Sunday, chanting “anti-black, anti-poor,” apparently referring to Buttigieg. Days before, about a dozen Black Lives Matter protesters demonstrated at a Buttigieg campaign event in California.
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Speaking to the AP, Hart highlighted Buttigieg’s work serving South Bend.
“He’s taken an industrial place like South Bend, Indiana, which is kind of similar to the story of Waterloo, Iowa, where a lot of people had given up on that community, and made great strides to turning it around,” Hart told the AP.
“Just like in South Bend and Waterloo, we’re placed in situations where it seems like we’re responsible to fix generations of decline, to fix generational and systemic racism or problems that we’ve had,” he added.
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Rep. Anthony BrownAnthony Gregory BrownTrump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names Overnight Defense: Trump rejects scrapping Confederate names from Army bases | House chairman ups push for Esper, Milley to testify | Ousted State IG tells lawmakers he doesn’t know status of Pompeo investigations Trump ‘will not even consider’ renaming Army bases named for Confederate leaders MORE (D-Md.) last week became the first member of the Congressional Black Caucus to endorse Buttigieg.
Hart’s endorsement comes as polls show a tight race between Buttigieg and three other candidates in Iowa.
A Des Moines Register–CNN poll released last week has Buttigieg at 16 percent, in third place behind Sens. Bernie SandersBernie SandersThe Hill’s 12:30 Report: Milley apologizes for church photo-op Harris grapples with defund the police movement amid veep talk Biden courts younger voters — who have been a weakness MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenWarren, Democrats urge Trump to back down from veto threat over changing Confederate-named bases OVERNIGHT DEFENSE: Joint Chiefs chairman says he regrets participating in Trump photo-op | GOP senators back Joint Chiefs chairman who voiced regret over Trump photo-op | Senate panel approves 0B defense policy bill Trump on collision course with Congress over bases with Confederate names MORE (D-Mass.). Former Vice President Joe BidenJoe BidenHillicon Valley: Biden calls on Facebook to change political speech rules | Dems demand hearings after Georgia election chaos | Microsoft stops selling facial recognition tech to police Trump finalizing executive order calling on police to use ‘force with compassion’ The Hill’s Campaign Report: Biden campaign goes on offensive against Facebook MORE was in dead heat with the mayor at 15 percent, based on the poll.
The Iowa caucuses will take place on Feb. 3.