Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg refused to close the door on a 2028 presidential run during a campaign swing through Iowa this week, telling reporters a simple “nope” when asked if he would rule out another White House bid.
Buttigieg, who won the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses, was in Des Moines on Monday to rally volunteers for Democratic congressional candidate Sarah Trone Garriott. The visit marked his second trip to Iowa in just over a year, as national Democrats target competitive races in the state ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
“I already have a lot of great friends in Iowa, and it's been fun to reactivate some of those relationships in the service of the ticket that's on the ballot right now in '26,” Buttigieg told reporters. “I'm super focused on