‘Maltese’ Mayor Pete Buttigieg bows out of race for Democratic nomination

Pete Buttigieg withdraws campaign for Democratic nomination after his campaign loses momentum ahead of Super Tuesday voting

Pete Buttigieg is out of the Democratic race
Pete Buttigieg is out of the Democratic race

Pete Buttigieg, the son of a Maltese professor who emigrated to the United States in the 1970s, has announced he is ending his campaign for the White House.

The 38-year-old former Indiana mayor became the first openly gay presidential candidate from a major party when he announced am ambitious bid for the Democratic nomination.

His campaign lost momentum in recent weeks, dropping out ahead of Super Tuesday, when 14 states vote.

His departure leaves six Democrats still in the running. The democratic socialist Bernie Sanders could have an unbeatable lead at this stage to clinch the nomination to face off Trump in the race for the White House.

Buttigieg pledged he would do “everything in my power” to ensure a Democratic win in November’s election.

Buttigieg’s only political experience had been as the centrist mayor of South Bend, between 2012 and January this year. He had previously served as a US Navy intelligence officer and in the Afghan war.

He is the son of Prof. Joseph Buttigieg, a Gramscian expert, who emigrated to the United States to pursue a doctorate.

During his campaign, he raised over $82 million. But Buttigieg struggled to build support among African-American voters, a point emphasised by his poor showing in South Carolina. And his record as mayor came under fire among minority voters after having fired South Bend's first African American police chief; he was criticised over how he handled the case of a white police officer who shot dead a black man last year.

Super Tuesday

Super Tuesday is the most important date in the race to pick the nominee.

Democrats in 14 states will vote (as well as American Samoa and Democrats Abroad). A massive 1,357 delegates will be distributed - almost a third of all those available through the entire primary season. The two most populous states, California and Texas, will be among those voting.