Mayor Pete in '24? Buttigieg Outpolls Biden in New Survey

Could America be ready for its first openly gay president? Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who ran a presidential campaign in 2020, emerged at the top of a recent voter poll, beating President Joe Biden and several other high-profile Democrats.

Political news outlet The Hill reported that the "University of New Hampshire (UNH) Survey Center Granite Poll found that 17 percent of likely 2024 Democratic primary voters in the state would choose Buttigieg among a list of Democrats, or those who caucus with Democrats, who are considered possible 2024 presidential contenders."

Biden trailed Buttigieg by a single point, coming in at 16%. Meanwhile, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and California Gov. Gavin Newsom each garnered 10%, while Bernie Sanders, whose 2016 campaign generated considerable excitement, and who campaigned again in 2020, didn't even reach the 10% mark.

"The margin of error for among the Democrats polled specifically is plus or minus 4.7 points, meaning Buttigieg and Biden are statistically tied among voters," The Hill noted. Still, "the polling further demonstrates that Democrats are not wedded to the idea of choosing Biden as their nominee in the next presidential cycle."

When poll participants were asked about their second choice, Buttigieg was edged out by Cory Booker, but only by a single percentage point, according to The Hill.

"The White House has said Biden intends to run in 2024, though Buttigieg has not made any announcements on the matter," The Hill noted.

"Only one-fifth of New Hampshire residents want Biden to seek a second term in 2024, according to the poll," Politico noted, a result that "came after at least three other surveys this month showed Biden matching or exceeding record lows on his approval rating."

Buttigieg's 2020 campaign gained unexpected footing despite only having held the office of mayor of South Bend, Indiana, at that time. With the exception of Republican Fred Karger in 2012, Buttigieg was the first out politician from one of the two main political parties to mount a presidential campaign.

Though he was dogged on the campaign trail by anti-gay hecklers, and mainstream media outlets questioned whether America was ready for an openly gay president, Buttigieg "narrowly won the Iowa caucuses and placed a close second in the New Hampshire primary," barely trailing Bernie Sanders, Wikipedia recalls.

But Joe Biden won the South Carolina primary while Buttigieg placed fourth, prompting Buttigieg to withdraw from the running on March 1, 2020. Buttigieg then threw his support to Biden.

After winning the 2020 election, President Biden nominated Buttigieg to be the Secretary of Transportation. Buttigieg was then confirmed by the Senate, making him the first out gay Cabinet secretary to be confirmed, and only the second out gay Cabinet member after Donald Trump appointed Richard Grenell to be the Acting Director of National Intelligence in February of 2020, a post Grenell held until the following May.