Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, spoke candidly Monday about his lack of African American supporters during a campaign event in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
“I need help. … Out here, people are just getting to know me, and trust, in part, is a function of quantity time, and we are racing against time,” the Democrat told the audience.
According to CNN, the audience in Mr. Buttigieg’s rally was majority white, which could be problematic for him, as the South Carolina town is home to two black universities and is majority black.
Additionally, 61 percent of the state’s Democratic voters in 2016 were African American, which could spell trouble for the candidate as both his West Charleston and Columbia rallies in South Carolina were also predominately white.
Mr. Buttigieg said his campaign is “in the phase of growing our organization” and that it “has a lot of work to do to make sure that we are assembling a coalition that reflects the diversity of our party.”
“It’s a relationship, and that relationship here has to be built over time,” he added.
Mr. Buttigieg also slammed President Trump’s slogan, saying: “That past that he is promising to return us to was never as great as advertised.”
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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