Credit to Luci Laidlaw

Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg came to Pella and spoke at Tamory Hall on Monday, January 20. He first presented his ideas to the crowd and then spent the majority of the time answering questions from the audience members. Some of the main topics he covered were related to gun laws and safety, raising the minimum wage, and improving the environmental situation.

“The general atmosphere of the event was very warm and exciting,” said senior Sarah Linde, who was a volunteer at the event. “There were a lot of people, but not enough to make the rather small space feel too overcrowded. The more avid fans of Pete were able to sit in the section that was being caught on camera, and those who just wanted to sit and listen without all the fanfare were also able to do so.”

According to Linde, Mayor Buttigieg was very charismatic. When asked questions from an audience member, he would always thank them for their service to the community if they mentioned their job. Linde was not yet able to form an opinion based on the event alone for whether or not Mayor Buttigieg would make a good president, but she is currently leaning towards a yes.

“One of the things I do like about Pete as a candidate is that he is one of the more moderate Democratic candidates,” said Linde. “This makes him more popular with people who usually vote Republican, which is important, as I believe that in order to unite the country we need to make compromises in some places.”

The 2020 Iowa Democratic Caucuses will be held on February 3rd, where those eligible to vote will have the opportunity to participate by informally voting for the Democratic nominee they would like to be chosen, Mayor Buttigieg being among those candidates.