South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg picked up some support in Florida for his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.
In Florida on Monday for fundraisers for his campaign, Buttigieg reeled in the endorsement of a prominent Florida Democrat.
Former state Rep. Sean Shaw, who was the Democratic nominee in last year’s state attorney general contest, announced that he was backing Buttigieg in the crowded primary field which has more than 20 candidates.
“Today I am proud to endorse Mayor Pete Buttigieg for president of the United States,” Shaw said on Monday. “Mayor Pete’s bold, progressive vision of the future, one where every American’s voice is heard clearly and equally, is precisely what this country needs. We have to renew our democratic system, secure health care for all, pass common sense gun safety reforms, and defend civil and equal rights. Mayor Pete is the Democratic Party’s best hope to move us forward and win the next era in American politics.”
The son of former Florida Supreme Court Justice Leander Shaw, Sean Shaw served a single term in the Florida House before running for state attorney general. He took 46 percent of the vote in November while Republican Ashley Moody pulled 52 percent.
While he has never held statewide office in Indiana, Buttigieg has enjoyed some momentum in the crowded Democratic field in recent weeks as his youth and service in the Army have helped him leapfrog some better-known candidates. If Buttigieg wins in 2020, he will be the first president in a same-sex marriage.
Kevin Derby can be reached at Kevin.Derby@floridadaily.com.
