Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and potential 2028 presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Liberty & Justice dinner this summer.
“Pete has shown time and time again that he effectively communicates with all kinds of voters:Independents, Democrats, and Republicans alike — just the kind of coalition we need tobuild to win in Iowa this year,” Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart said in a statement.
The event is scheduled for 4 p.m. July 12 at Prairie Meadows Event Center in Altoona.
It is the party’s largest event of the year and often draws big-name political speakers from across the country. Potential presidential candidate and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear headlined the event in 2024.
The announcement comes fresh off a primary election win for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Josh Turek, a state representative from Council Bluffs. Buttigieg endorsed Turek in the race.
That race and others in Iowa have catapulted the state into national political prominence as Democrats and Republicans look to swing the trajectory of their party.
Although Iowa Democrats have long hosted their first-in-the-nation presidential nominating caucuses, they were stripped of that position after complications in releasing the results of the 2020 caucuses. They are now pushing the national party to reinstate Iowa in the early voting window.
Brianne Pfannenstiel is the chief politics reporter for the Des Moines Register. She writes about campaigns, elections and the Iowa Caucuses. Reach her at bpfann@dmreg.com or 515-284-8244. Follow her on X at @brianneDMR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Pete Buttigieg will rally Iowa Democrats ahead of 2026 midterm
Reporting by Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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By Brianne Pfannenstiel, Des Moines Register | USA TODAY Network
