Pete Buttigieg, the former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and a likely Democratic hopeful in the 2028 presidential race, is coming to the Indiana University Auditorium on Sep. 18.
Buttigieg will be the guest lecturer in the latest installment of the IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center’s “Speaking of Excellence” series, which brings notable LGBTQ+ celebrities and leaders like Hunter Schafer and George Takei to campus. Buttigieg will speak at the IU Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sep. 18.
Who is Pete Buttigieg?
If you’ve somehow never heard the name, Pete Buttigieg is a Democratic politician and former Navy officer who most recently served as the U.S. Secretary of Transportation under Joe Biden from 2021 to 2025.
Though he now lives in Michigan, Buttigieg is an Indiana native and served as the mayor of South Bend for two terms, from 2012 to 2020. Buttigieg ran for president in the 2020 Democratic primary and made history as the first openly gay candidate to win a state primary after capturing the most delegates in Iowa.
Buttigieg currently lives in northern Michigan with his husband Chasten and two kids, and is being eyed as a potential frontrunner for the Democrats in the 2028 presidential election.
When is Pete Buttigieg coming to Bloomington?
Buttigieg will speak at the IU Auditorium on Thursday, Sep. 18 at 7 p.m.
Can members of the general public buy tickets?
Yes. IU students can reserve one free ticket in advance, but members of the general public can purchase tickets for $25. IU staff and faculty can purchase discounted tickets for $15.
Tickets can be purchased online at iuauditorium.com or at the IU Auditorium Box Office, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
What is the “Speaking of Excellence” speaker series?
The series, hosted by the Indiana Memorial Union Board in collaboration with the IU LGBTQ+ Culture Center brings notable LGBTQ+ activists and media personalities to IU.
The series most recently hosted Jesse Tyler Ferguson, an actor and producer best known for his role as Mitchell Pritchett on Modern Family.
Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com. Follow him on X/Twitter at @brianwritesnews.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Pete Buttigieg, a likely 2028 presidential candidate, is coming to Bloomington
Reporting by Brian Rosenzweig, The Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
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