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After months of speculation, Pete Buttigieg – the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana – has announced his candidacy for president of the United States.
Were he to win the Democratic ticket, and eventually the election, he would make history on a number of fronts, becoming the youngest ever president as well as the first to be openly gay.
Buttigieg – otherwise known as “Mayor Pete” – said in his speech that he recognised “the audacity of doing this as a Midwestern millennial mayor”, and that his bid to become president was “more than a little bold”.
But his announcement was met with overwhelming support from voters, who are excited to see a new name among the current Democratic frontrunners, which include Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris.
Many praised his speech, calling it “phenomenal”, “inspirational” and “refreshing”.
Even Ellen DeGeneres tweeted her support:
Others compared him to beloved Game Of Thrones character Jon Snow, and said his announcement was “better than Coachella”.
Supporters were emotional to see Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, kiss on stage, after the presidential hopeful said he imagined going back in time to tell his closeted teenage self that "on that day he announces his campaign for president, he’ll do it with his husband looking on".
Chasten Buttigieg is something of a social media celebrity himself, and recently blew up Twitter after Queer Eye’s Bobby Berk offered to help him find an outfit.
He revealed that his husband wrote the launch speech himself that morning, and – perhaps most impressively – without so much as a cup of coffee, as he’d given it up for lent.
And people are putting their money where their tweets are, promising to donate to his campaign and encouraging others to do so too.
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