Rep. Anthony Brown (D-Md.) endorsed Pete Buttigieg’s 2020 White House campaign and became its first national co-chair, officials announced Thursday.
Brown, a veteran of the Iraq War, said in a statement that he is backing the former South Bend, Ind., mayor because of Buttigieg’s ability to bring people together around the shared values of the country.
“Our country needs a president who can heal our divides and restore decency to our nation’s highest office,” said Brown. “Pete’s message is not defined by exclusion but welcomes everyone into the fight to tackle our nation’s greatest challenges.”
The Maryland representative, who served three decades in the Army and Army Reserve, said he supports Buttigieg because the top priority of the president should be the “security and safety of our nation.”
Brown also served as Maryland’s lieutenant governor. He belongs to the Congressional Black Caucus and is the vice chair of the House Armed Services Committee.
“I am honored to have Congressman Brown’s endorsement and am thrilled to have him co-chair my campaign, as we work together to heal our nation’s divides and restore decency and respect to the presidency so that we can get to work on the urgent issues facing our country,” Buttigieg said in a statement.
The former mayor recently tied with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden atop a poll of 2020 Democratic contenders in Iowa. Overall, RealClearPolitics ranks him fourth nationally.