Buttigieg responds to Harris confession that he was not chosen as running mate because he is gay

Former Vice President Kamala Harris reveals in a memoir excerpt that Pete Buttigieg was her first choice to be the running mate in the 2024 election, but she did not select him because he is gay. The Atlantic published the excerpt from Harris's forthcoming memoir, 107 Days, on Wednesday. In the passage, Harris suggests that Buttigieg would have been an ideal partner if Harris were a straight white male.

Buttigieg responded Thursday ahead of a ribbon cutting ceremony at Monroe County's Democratic Party headquarters in Bloomington, Indiana. He said concerns about his sexual orientation were not discussed in his campaigns, and that voters are guided by what a candidate can do for them, not by identity categories. He said he was surprised by that passage.

Harris reportedly had an eight-person short list for the vice presidential slot. She ultimately chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, and the campaign faced questions about how a diverse ticket would resonate with voters. In the memoir, Harris describes weighing the political risk of selecting a Black woman with a Jewish spouse, and how part of her wanted to push ahead, but the stakes felt too high.

Notes describe that Harris had limited time to win voters after the former president withdrew from the race and endorsed her in July 2024. Walz became the running mate and Harris and Walz went on to lose the general election to President Donald Trump.

Observers say Buttigieg is currently rumored to be considering a 2028 presidential bid as he continues in public life and party leadership duties.

The disclosures reflect ongoing debates inside the Democratic Party about representation, electoral viability, and leadership credibility as it maps future campaigns. The passages also underscore the tension between historic barriers and strategic calculations in selecting a ticket that aims to maximize broad appeal while advancing diversity.