Former South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg will cancel a Dallas campaign stop Sunday to announce the suspension of his campaign back in his home city, according to multiple reports.
The first openly gay presidential candidate built a grassroots movement powerful enough to propel him to a razor-thin victory in the Iowa caucus and close second in the New Hampshire primary, but failed to build a coalition broad enough to keep him competitive in the more-diverse states.
He dropped to third in the Nevada caucus, and slipped further in South Carolina, falling behind even billionaire Tom Steyer, who dropped out on Saturday, to place fourth.
Buttigieg spent almost all of his resources in the first two states, and faced little support beyond those almost all-white electorates.
Still, Buttigieg amassed enough money and polls to qualify for all of the debates, while more experienced politicians — Sens. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), among others — fell amid such a crowded field.
His inexperience became a point of attack for many of his fellow candidates. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) specifically pointed out how difficult it would be for a female politician of Buttigieg’s youth and inexperience to get so far in a presidential contest.
