Buttigieg ramps up outreach to Democratic superdelegates

DES MOINES, Iowa – Pete Buttigieg (BOO’-tuh-juhj) is ramping up his outreach to Democratic Party superdelegates with a phone call to them outlining the scope of his 2020 presidential campaign.

The outreach suggests Buttigieg’s campaign is looking beyond the early primary states to the possibility of a convention fight for the nomination. Superdelegates, who include Democratic National Committee members, elected officials and other party dignitaries, have historically held an outsized influence over the nominating process.

Top members of his staff introduced themselves Monday, with campaign manager Mike Schmuhl saying the campaign now employs 240 staffers, 37% of whom are people of colour and 28% of whom are LGBTQ. A majority are women.

The South Bend, Indiana, mayor says he sees a “great opportunity” in being relatively unknown because “we’ve got a lot of room to grow.”