The results of the Iowa caucuses are still trickling in. So far, only 71 percent of the vote has been announced. As of right now, Pete Buttigieg is leading with 27%, followed by Bernie Sanders at 25%, and Elizabeth Warren at 18%, though those numbers could easily change as more data is released.
Despite the jury still being out, Buttigieg declared victory in Iowa on Monday night, telling supporters in Des Moines: “We are going on to New Hampshire victorious!”
When the 2020 hopeful received pushback the next day for declaring himself the victor before the Iowa Democratic Party had issued any results, he explained that his campaign’s internal data is what led him to make the declaration.
Then yesterday evening, Buttigieg’s husband, Chasten, tweeted: “It gets better.” Along with an image of himself and Pete embracing on stage in Des Moines shortly after Pete had declared victory.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
It gets better. https://t.co/ondjv1pixl
— Chasten Buttigieg (@Chas10Buttigieg) February 4, 2020
Regardless of how you feel about Buttigieg or his campaign, if that doesn’t make you just a little weepy, you might want to check to see if you have a pulse.
The tweet has received over 26,000 likes, 2,000 retweets, and hundreds of comments.
CHASTEN. Thank you. You and Pete. For everything. Thank you.
— Tyler Garrett (@tylergarret2) February 4, 2020
Why do you and Pete keep making me cry? I usually never cry! You are giving us all hope for a better future and a sense of belonging that cannot be put into words. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
— Italians4Pete (@Italians4Pete) February 4, 2020
You make me proud.
— RuralVoter4Pete (@RuralVoter4Pete) February 4, 2020
This 59-year-old gay man shed tears of joy in his office today as the results started coming in. Pete and you are making this world better and safer for younger LGBTQ folk. I love you both for taking us on this journey. I’ve never been prouder or more inspired by a campaign.
— George Biagi (@hoyageorge) February 5, 2020
— (@book_lover_kell) February 4, 2020
*big girl sniff* oh heck. ::passes tissues:: love is love is love is love, and it’s going to win! thank you for everything you do.
— (((bj))) (@chipotlepepper) February 4, 2020
Aw man. You are Pete are gonna be a big part of the reason WHY it gets better. ❤️
— RomanceWritersForPete (@RomancePete) February 4, 2020
One of the (many!) things I miss most about @BarackObama & @MichelleObama is seeing a mutually respectful, loving marriage at top level of politics. Thank you both for restoring my faith in that possibility. It’s important.
— Kathy Van Every (@KathyAgnew) February 4, 2020
It does. I am gay and I don’t love your husband’s entire message. So let’s not be political here. On just an #LGBT plane. Yes. Oh goodness. It gets better. We are all human.
— CodeMonkey (@CodeMonkeyB) February 5, 2020
I’m not crying really
— Stephen aka Rev. Zeal✨ ; (@StephenBright) February 5, 2020
DNC chairman Tom Perez announced yesterday that DNC staffers were “assisting” the Iowa Democratic Party in getting the official Iowa caucus results released as soon as possible.
Related: Pete Buttigieg declares victory in Iowa… but the jury’s still out
Kieran
If democrats can’t even run their own caucus in Iowa, why should we trust them with running the country? Still counting votes 3 days later? This is Third World banana republic stuff.
trickster3737
Better to fumble and admit it then have Putin controlling the elections..or is that above your head?
AxelDC
Republicans screwed up the 2012 Iowa Caucus, having to recall Romney’s win in favor of Santorum weeks later.
The caucus is run by state officials, not the DNC. Blame Iowa, not the national party.
truthseeker
@AxelDC
No, blame the DNC for using an app that was to report the results. The app was funded by Mayor Pete’s campaign and coincidentally he won (even though Bernie was way ahead until the DNC had to do “quality control”)
Now, even though liberals cry about the popular vote, Bernie is in the lead with the popular but Mayor Pete gets more delegates because of “delegate math” LOL
jayhalleaux
@truthseeker
For being all about truth you seem to be only doing surface level examination. Mayor Pete bought a text-messaging platform from the company–he did not fund the app.
Also as much as we want popular votes determining things, you can’t have it both ways. Bernie knew going in that Iowa caucus math could be against him. And even then he is still getting the same number of delegates right now as Pete.
paul dorian lord fredine
and how many days did it take republican florida to count it’s votes in the bush/gore election? if i remember they never did come up with an accurate count. truth seeker my ass.
truthseeker
@jay
Check FEC records and you’ll find payments from the Pete campaign to Shadow, the company who made the app. The CEO of the app is even the wife of a member of the Pete campaign
@Paul
And Bush was a terrible President. The issue you bring up happened 19 years ago. What does that have to do with Bernie?
Kangol2
@Kieran, do you always have to go off the deep end? Republicans ran the country for 8 years, from 2000-2008, and ran it into the ground! Did you forget that? So by your logic, the GOP should never run the country again. Doesn’t that sound moronic? And don’t forget, the GOP has screwed up the caucuses in Iowa too. Or are you aware there’s a thing called “Google” and a thing called “Wikipedia” and you can look these things up?
Taiyoken
@paul dorian lord fredine
Actually they did come up win an accurate count, 5 months after Bush was inaugurated. Turns out Gore won,
AxelDC
I never thought in my lifetime that a gay man would accepted enough to run for President, and here we have one winning the Iowa Caucuses.
To those who wonder how he knew he’d one on Monday, his career before running for Mayor was a business data analyst. He has degrees from Harvard and Oxford.
If you want a government run on science and data, elect Mayor Pete. We’ve had enough of old men running the country based on their gut.
BigJohnSF
Sorry, “truthseeker” (not so much) – the app was all the idea of the Iowa Democratic Party. The DNC had nothing to do with it.
truthseeker
@BigJohn
LOL Wrong. Go back and check tweets from the DNC Chairman Tom Perez. The DNC must approve everything, they didn’t code the app but they authorized it.
That’s why the DNC are now saying they won’t use the app anymore
glennmcbride
I have a feeling you will reject any results that do not make Bernie the winner. The problem with that is that not everyone thinks Bernie would make a good President.
radiooutmike
Sounds like you have a beef with Iowa caucus rules.
Whether Sanders will get the nomination even if he has the delegates is in question. The centrists who backed Hilary in 2016 will just back Biden now in an effort to screw Sanders over like Clinton did.
So, who would you pick if it was between Biden and Pete? I’d really like Warren to get the nomination, but the establishment will screw her over because she is a woman and a progressive. I’d pick Pete over Joe any day.
Darrellx
yep–i cried. correct!
kernowcraig
Politicians these days are ugly, not physically but inside, from across the pond, if you don’t see what you have in Pete, send him over, we’ll take him.
Jared MacBride
The Democrats have one candidate with a prayer to beat Trump, and this small town mayor sure as hell isn’t it.
Chipper
gut?……you mean their check book bottom line. Just the money they can get how ever they can get it. by hook or crook. the old men need to be relieved of all the ill gotten gain. If their war chest is bigger, no pension or benefits after they leave. they do no need it anyway with all the under table money they have received.
Jared, Do not count Pete out. the ole saying it ain’t over till the fat lady sings.
he>me
so very proud
white-queer-african
@he>me, please ignore my comment on yours about Liza M…..
I LUVU……for ur comment on Mayor Pete
Patrick
I see that there are typical BS (Bernie Sanders) supporters on here. Whining about the results & spreading lies.
enlightenone
I guess I don’t have a “pulse” because my brain is working!
jkb
#MayorCheat
cliche guevara
My understanding is that “it gets better” is targeted at queer youth. I feel like we can do better in showing a life live with dignity and respect than a guys that was closeted until he had a government provided security. Buttigieg has many accomplishments in life he can be proud of, a profile in queer courage is isn’t.
David Myers
“It Gets Better” is targeted at EVERYONE who gets bullied, not just gay youth. That includes LGBTQ of every age and straight people of every age! Every person who comes out helps to build the consciousness needed to change tolerance (or even non-tolerance) to acceptance, no matter when in life they make that serious decision. You are wrong! It does take courage to run for the nomination of a major party to be President of the United States as an openly gay man, even if your openness is relatively recent. Having said that, I am an openly gay activist (for the last 50 years) and I am an Elizabeth Warren supporter. I like Bernie very much also, but fear he will be “swift boated” with his own words (“democratic socialist”) by the Trump hate machine and I fear that that same hate machine will also be used to stoke homophobia and hate should Mayor Pete get the nomination. I will vote for whomever is on the Democratic ticket but my ideal ticket would be Elizabeth Warren/ Julian Castro (in that order).
cliche guevara
@David Myers
From the It Gets Better Project website:
“In 2010, Dan Savage and his partner, Terry Miller, uttered three words that would give rise to a global movement focused on empowerment of LGBTQ+ youth”
That very clearly says the it is targeted at LGBTQ+ youth. So, as you say “You are wrong!”
I totally agree that every person that comes out moves the needle forward. This is in fact how we got to same sex marriage being legal. Fun fact, Buttigieg sat out that fight, he came out post Obergefell v. Hodges and is one of them many folks out that that enjoy the benefits of those that had the courage to come out while he opted out of the fight.
I agree that it takes courage to run for president as an out person, but you aren’t really addressing what I said. I said that there are far better examples of people that have chosen to live a life of dignity and respect. I also am saying there are far better examples of courage with respect to LGBTQ+ courage that Buttigieg, what is his example? It’s hide your sexuality for your own personal gain while others do the heavy lifting to get you your rights. I am not saying he is a bad person for doing it, each person has to handle coming out in their own way. I am saying and will stand by saying that kids need examples that show them it’s okay to be out all your life and that you can thrive and be out all your life.
I am 46. I have been out since I was 13. Was it always easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. And here is the kicker, I’m from Indiana. I know the challenges of the environment he lived in and grew up in. You are free to disagree but when it comes to the courage it takes come out, be proud and demand equality I don’t think Buttigieg has not been a model for queer youth. I’m happy for him that he got there, but would encourage kids to pursue dignity earlier in life.
As fore Warren, totally irrelevant to the conversation but totally agree with you.
Hdtex
Vomitous
JessPH
Mayor Pete is intelligent, decent, well-mannered, articulate, trustworthy, reasonable, and stable. He also willingly served in the military. He is a stark contrast to the orange buffoon currently in the White House
Frank Treadway
Looks downright normal to me…two men hugging, even Russian men kiss on the lips, so what’s the big deal….,just bought my Blue necktie and white shirt and off to Nevada ! Go Pete !
Wheelerman
#PETEBUTTIGIEG2020
Doug
I’m still trying to figure out what an “ugly cry” is.