Amy Klobuchar attacked South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg for his limited government experience and his record of losing races for chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Indiana state treasurer.
“When we were in the last debate, mayor, you basically mocked the hundred years of experience on the stage,” Klobuchar, a Minnesota senator since 2007 and previously the district attorney of her state’s most populous county, said. “While you can dismiss committee hearings, I think this experience works. And I have not denigrated your experience as a local official. I have been one.”
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Buttigieg responded by insisting Klobuchar did “denigrate” his experience but said he did not initially respond because he believed, “We have bigger fish to fry.”
Klobuchar ended the exchange by referencing Buttigieg’s 2010 run for Indiana state treasurer. Buttigieg lost that race to a Republican and earned just 37.5% of the vote.
“Again, I would — if you had won in Indiana, that would be one thing. You tried, and you lost by 20 points,” Klobuchar said.
After that statewide race, Buttigieg won the mayoralty of South Bend, his hometown. He came in third in his 2017 race for Democratic National Committee chairman.
