Amy Klobuchar reminds Pete Buttigieg that he ‘lost by 20 points’ in statewide Indiana bid

Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota on Thursday reminded Pete Buttigieg of his recent political defeats in making the case that Washington, D.C. experience and a track record of getting things done matter when it comes to building a winning coalition of support.

Ms. Klobuchar said she respects the military experience of Mr. Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, but pointed out his failed bids for chairman of the Democratic National Committee and Indiana State Treasurer.

“I think winning matters. I think a track record of getting things done matters,” she said at the Democratic presidential debate in Los Angeles.

“If you want to talk about the capacity to win, try putting together a coalition to bring you back to office with 80% of the vote as a gay dude in Mike Pence’s Indiana,” Mr. Buttigieg shot back.

“If you had won in Indiana, that would be one thing. You tried and you lost by 20 points,” she said.

In the last debate, “you basically mocked the hundred years of experience on the stage,” Ms. Klobuchar told Mr. Buttigieg.

Ms. Klobuchar touted Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s experience helping launch the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden’s work on the Obama administration’s “cancer moonshot, Sen. Bernard Sanders’ advocacy for veterans, and her own negotiations on farm bills.

“So while you can dismiss committee hearings, I think this experience works,” Ms. Klobuchar said. “And I have not denigrated your experience as a local official - I have been one. I just think you should respect our experience when you look at how you evaluate someone who can get things done.”

Mr. Buttigieg had replied by alluding to his military experience, saying he swore to defend the Constitution “with my life. That is my experience, and it may not be the same as yours but it counts, senator.”