Campaigns are tiring of Pete Buttigieg making subtle attacks on his rivals in the 2020 Democratic primary as the mayor seeks to distance himself from the more liberal candidates in the race.
“It does seem a little desperate,” an aide for one of the candidate’s in the race told the Daily Beast on Wednesday. Multiple campaigns said Buttigieg was attempting to make up for lagging support.
The 37-year-old South Bend, Indiana, mayor made an early splash in the race, but in recent months has seen a lack of press as the race has been taken up by the front-runners.
As a result, Buttigieg has traded his largely positive messaging for making veiled attacks on the front-runners in the race, Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
“Pete’s calculation is always ‘How can I offend the fewest voters?’ so it’s not surprising to see him attack candidates who dare to have an original idea,” another campaign official for a rival campaign said.
An adviser to a top 2020 rival said Buttigieg’s attacks were an attempt to “get some splash” by going “after the person who has the juice.”
The Buttigieg campaign responded to the criticism by saying they were just trying to create policy distinctions with the more liberal campaigns in the race.
The mayor told reporters earlier this week in Iowa that he cared more about “outcomes” than Warren, and that she was interested more in “fighting.”
Buttigieg has also attacked Sanders’ signature “Medicare for all” bill with his own plan called “Medicare for All Who Want It.”
He currently sits in fourth place in the presidential race at 6% support, while Warren polls at 24% and Sanders at 17%, according to RealClearPolitics.
