LAS VEGAS — A third-place finish in the Nevada Caucuses for former South Bend mayor Pete Buttigieg.
The result for the Hoosier is much better than what most pre-Caucus polling numbers had predicted. Buttigieg was third with 13-percent of the vote behind former Vice-President Joe Biden with 21-percent and winner Sen. Bernie Sanders with 47-percent
“I respect my friend Senator Sanders. I believe the ideals he talks about are ideals we all share,” Buttigieg said in Fairfax, Virginia Sunday. “But, I also believe the way we will build the movement to defeat Donald Trump is to draw people into our tent, not call them names online.”
Buttigieg said many of Sanders’ ideals leave out even most Democrats along with most Americans.
“How about making sure (Trump) is held to account on the debate stage by a Democrat nominee who actually lives and worked in the industrial Midwest,” he added. “And can talk about what it means to have an economy that actually works for us.”
The San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper is endorsing Buttigieg for president. The board of San Diego paper chose Buttigieg, saying his military experience and centrist policies are well-suited to defeat President Trump in November.
The candidates head to South Carolina ahead of this weekend’s South Carolina primary. Buttigieg is polling fourth at 10-percent behind Joe Biden (28%), Bernie Sanders (21%), and Tom Steyer (18%).
Super Tuesday is a little over a week away.
