DENVER — Presidential hopeful Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-IN) spoke to thousands of Coloradans at a town hall event in Denver on Saturday after coming third in the Nevada caucus, and just weeks before the Super Tuesday primary elections.
"I have a conviction that the presidency is not about self-glorification, but unification of the country,” he said.
The former South Bend Indiana mayor entered the Crowne Plaza Denver Airport Convention Center stage around 9:50 p.m. and spoke for 40 minutes.
Many said they came to see if Buttigieg was the right candidate for them. Eric Valdez of Denver said he is looking for a Democrat who he thinks can win the general election.
“I really, really want a Democrat to win,” Valdez said. “I can’t do four more years of Trump.”
Others said they came knowing who they would be voting for on March 3. Chase Abernatha came to hear about overseas issues from the veteran candidate.
“He’s authentic to who he is,” said Abernatha. “He’s willing to come out here and fight for every single person.”
Other topics Buttigieg touched on in the town hall were gun violence, fighting against misinformation and immigration reform.
Aside from politics, it will be a memorable night for many because of a 9-year-old boy named of Zachary. Zachary said he was inspired by the openly gay mayor.
“It won’t always be easy, but that’s okay — because you know who you are,” Buttigieg said to Zachary when the boy came on-stage.
Fourteen states, including Colorado, will hold primaries or caucuses on March 3, also known as "Super Tuesday," because it offers the largest number of delegates to be won in a single day. Buttigieg will face off against Tulsi Gabbard, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Joe Biden, Micheal Bloomberg and Tom Steyer.
Kyle Kohli, communication director for the Colorado Republican National Committee, issued the following statement:
“Whether it’s his outrageous policies on government-run healthcare or his promises to roll back tax cuts for middle-class families, it is clear Pete Buttigieg would only derail the economic progress Colorado has made under President Trump."
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