Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigiegwho ran a historic presidential campaign as the first openly gay contender in the Democratic Partydropped out of the race March 1.
Buttigieg lost momentum after finishing in the top two in Iowa and New Hampshire. He finished fourth in South Carolina, after former Vice President Joe Biden (who got his first presidential primary win ever), U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and businessman Tom Steyer, who has also dropped out of the electoral contest.
According to CNN, Buttigieg raised more than $80 million during his 2020 run, including $25 million in the second quarter of 2019 that allowed him to invest heavily in Iowa. However, the campaign entered February with just $6.6 million in the bank, and it struggled to hit its goal of raising $13 million in the weeks leading up to Super Tuesday, March 3.
In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David said, "Mayor Buttigieg ran an incredible campaign that broke glass ceilings and inspired countless LGBTQ people to run for office and enter public service. His history-making, open and honest campaign gave representation to a community that has been for long far too long pushed out of the spotlight.
"He gave a voice to millions across the country, to issues often ignored. He championed his support for LGBTQ equality and effectively articulated how issues of discrimination and inequality personally affected him and his family, undoubtedly moving our country towards a more equal society."