South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) on Sunday sought to tamp down concerns that his age could be an issue if he officially launches a 2020 bid for the White House, stating that he has more experience in government than President Trump.
“I have more years of government experience under my belt than the president,” Buttigieg, 37, said at a CNN presidential town hall in Austin, Texas.
{mosads}”That’s a low bar. I know that. I also have had more years of executive government experience than the vice president.”
Buttigieg was first elected mayor of South Bend in 2011, becoming the youngest-ever mayor of a U.S. city with at least 100,000 residents.
Before winning the 2016 election, Trump had not held an elected position. Pence served as the governor of Indiana between 2013 and 2017.
Buttigieg also highlighted his experience in the military as a qualification for being president.
He said that he has “more military experience than anybody to walk into that office on day one since George H.W. Bush.”
“I get I’m the young guy in the conversation, but experience is what qualifies me to have a seat at this table.”