Pete Buttigieg, former South Bend mayor, returns home to be inducted into the 2026 South Bend Community Hall of Fame
SCHERERVILLE, Ind. — Former Presidential candidate and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg returned to South Bend to be inducted into the 2026 South Bend Community Hall of Fame Tuesday evening.
"You know, it's a little emotional to be able to come home to South Bend to share recognition with a number of people who meant so much in the community. I’m excited to see old friends. I’m excited to share how proud I am of South Bend, both everything we did together when I was mayor and everything, the city's done since. I think Mayor Mueller's done extraordinary work in order to keep the city growing. You know, it wasn’t that long ago that people were writing our city off and now, it's a different future, " said Buttigieg.
He was inducted with six others:
- Darryl Buchanan
- Richard Feldman, M.D.
- Steven Goldberg
- Fran McDonald, D.P.T.
- Lu Ella Morrow Webster
- Rev. Donald McNeill, C.S.C. (posthumously)
Tuesday afternoon, Buttigieg joined Democrats Frank Mrvan and Steve Houldieson in Schererville, both running to represent Indiana's first district. During the event, Buttigieg talked about current policies impacting Hoosiers and the future of the Democratic party.
"I think the party really is closing in on a final argument that is about everyday life. Everyday life could be different and could be better if we had the right kind of leadership. Right now, what you’re paying at the store, what you’re seeing with the interest rates, what we’re seeing with gas and diesel prices are a direct consequence of the way that corruption and corporate greed have run the table," said Buttigieg.
He continued, "we know the Republican policies are not working well because of the Republican strategy, which is to not even bother trying to convince voters, but rather trying to get an edge through redistricting. Indiana stood up to that on principle because they knew it was wrong and we have a chance to reaffirm that message electing leaders like Scott Houldieson and re-electing Frank Mrvan."
Getting across the finish line on November just isn't enough and it's what Buttigieg, Mrvan and Houldieson talked about Tuesday. With the future of the Democratic party in the air both nationally and locally, ABC57 asked what can be expected from Secretary Buttigieg moving forward and if a 2028 presidential running is in the works.
"Well, look the most important thing obviously is a good result three weeks from today that’s the urgent issue and mission in front of us. I believe the next most important thing with hopefully big Democratic majorities is to have legislation that makes people better off to put money back in their pockets, that gets politics out of their faces, political reform so we’re not dealing with this kind of gerrymandering every few years, economic reform so that we have higher wages and lower costs and I’m going to be doing everything I can’t to advance that inside and outside of politics.