Local political expert weighs in on Buttigieg suspending presidential campaign

SOUTH BEND, Ind.—Local political expert Jack Colwell on Monday weighed in on former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s announcement that he is suspending his presidential campaign.

“After South Carolina, he had no path to the nomination,” Colwell said. “He ran an extraordinary race and did quite well. He left on a high note.”

On February 29, Buttigieg finished fourth in South Carolina, earning just over 8% of the delegates. Former Vice President Joe Biden won out in The Palmetto State, taking nearly half of all available delegates.

Buttigieg delivered the announcement Sunday night in South Bend at the Century Center, saying that while he is no longer in the running for the Democratic nomination, he will continue supporting his political party.

“I will do everything in my power to ensure that we have a new Democratic president come January,” Buttigieg said Sunday.

Colwell said had Buttigieg stayed, he might’ve earned some of the delegates given out during Super Tuesday on March 3.

“If he [Buttigieg] suggests that they vote now for Biden, who is what I think he would suggest, a lot of them would do so,” Colwell said.

Colwell thinks that the reporting issues during the Iowa caucuses hurt Buttigieg’s campaign and cost him momentum.

“If they [votes] were counted that night, that would’ve been a tremendous election night victory for him,” Colwell said. “He would have a lot more momentum.”

Buttigieg claimed the most delegates during the Iowa caucuses with 14. Senator Bernie Sanders earned 12.