Mayor Pete Buttigieg's campaign is now being endorsed by a influential progressive veteran group that claims to represent about 700,000 veterans.
On Wednesday, VoteVets.org announced that they will be endorsing Buttigieg for the 2020 presidential election. I thought this was strange considering I've not really heard him speak about any policies to help our military. However, I just learned that Buttigieg was a naval intelligence officer in Afghanistan.
Veteran and VoteVets chair Jon Soltz said, “We need a candidate who will win. Bar none, Pete gives us the best shot at doing just that. It is time to rally around him, and stop the walking, talking national security threat that is Donald Trump," adding that beating Trump is their "number one priority."
Soltz added, “Pete is also someone who has the experience, as a war veteran, to be an exemplary Commander in Chief, because he understands and has experienced the unique global security challenges we face right now, and the has the personal understanding of our veterans’ needs.”
We are PROUD to endorse Mayor @PeteButtigieg for President, today, on behalf of our 700,000 veterans, military families and civilian supporters. Pete has the experience to lead, and what it takes to beat Donald Trump! Read more here: https://t.co/uBYdWeU3GE pic.twitter.com/4qgEZLagYu
— VoteVets (@votevets) December 4, 2019
The 13-year-old group – which claims to represent roughly 700,000 veterans – has long backed veterans in congressional races, but this is their first endorsement in a presidential primary.
VoteVets announced it would be immediately contributing to Buttigieg’s campaign and would use its social media networks and email list to support his White House bid.
"I'm honored to have this endorsement from my fellow veterans as we seek to take on our nation's most urgent challenges and pick up the pieces and put the country back together after Trump," Buttigieg said, "In uniform, I learned that when Americans from different backgrounds are brought together for a common purpose, we form the strongest fighting force in the world."
Buttigieg is not the only veteran in the Democratic primaries. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard served as an officer in the Hawaii National Guard, and also served a tour in Iraq.