Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg appeared in Altoona Sunday night to rally support for Iowa Democratic candidates and push for Democrats to connect with voters outside the party ahead of the midterm election.
Buttigieg’s appearance at the Iowa Democratic Party’s 2026 Liberty and Justice Celebration comes as Iowa Democrats face a competitive election season this fall, with open gubernatorial and U.S. Senate races, plus two of the most competitive U.S. House races in the country.
His visit to the party fundraiser also comes as Democrats try to hone their message of affordability for potential swing voters and roll out a robust statewide campaign to boost Democratic support across the ballot.
Buttigieg, who won the Iowa Democratic presidential caucuses in 2020 and has made a series of appearances around the country in support of Democratic candidates, is speculated to run for president in 2028.
“Just like old times,” he told the crowd when he took the stage.
Buttigieg said Midwesterners are well positioned to see the day-to-day impacts of politics and what needs to change.
“When I felt then, what I feel now, and what I believe we all feel in our bones is why, in a few short months, come Election Day, Democratic victories in Iowa will defy assumptions around the country and challenge the rest of the country to follow your lead,” he told the crowd.
Buttigieg urged Democrats to connect with people outside the party ahead of the election and offer voters a new vision of economic and political change.
“We got to get busy welcoming others into our coalition, reaching out to those who might have believed what they were told about ‘government for the forgotten man’ or ‘no new wars,’ reaching out to them and saying, 'He doesn't deserve you,'" Buttigieg said, referring to President Donald Trump's campaign promises.
Political forecasters have ranked the Iowa governor’s race and Iowa’s 1st and 3rd Congressional District races as “toss ups” — the most competitive category. Iowa's governor and Senate seats are also open races, along with Iowa's 2nd and 4th Congressional District races.
State party leaders, including Iowa Democratic Party (IDP) Chair Rita Hart called the party’s ticket “the strongest in a generation,” noting the IDP's grassroots operation this cycle is the largest the party has had in a decade.
The IDP has hired 65 field organizers and is opening 25 offices across the state, with both of those numbers slated to grow, Hart said. This year, Iowa Democrats are focused on connecting with voters through one-on-one conversation, she said.
“There's a lot on the line, and a lot of people are going to work very hard at this,” Hart told reporters after the fundraiser. “We cannot take anything for granted, and we're not going to."
Speaking to reporters, Buttigieg said widespread frustration and a “sense that the system is broken” could help Sand.
“When you have a candidate like Rob Sand, who is characterized not just by being somebody who's not a partisan and somebody who in fact speaks eloquently about the problems of the two-party system, but he's also somebody who has clear anti-corruption credentials.” Buttigieg said. “For somebody with that credibility to run in this moment, I think is a unique fit.”
A June 2026 Times/Siena poll shows Sand narrowly leading his Republican opponent Zach Lahn 48% to 47%. A recent Fox News poll shows Lahn trailing Sand by nine points.
In a statement, Iowa GOP spokesperson Jade Cichy criticized Sand.
“Rob Sand says he's different from national Democrats, but bringing in one of the leading voices of the Biden administration tells a different story. Instead of offering Iowans a new direction, Sand is embracing the same failed agenda on inflation, energy and the economy that Iowa voters have already rejected,” she said.
The general election is Nov. 3.
