Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg took several shots at Republicans while speaking at an event in Florence, South Carolina, during the weekend. In a video shared on X from the conference, the Michigan Democrat stated that the GOP is losing ground as it heads into the midterm elections because it has little to offer voters.
“They can’t run on their record because the results have been disgraceful,” Buttigieg said. “Since Republicans have spent the last two years making groceries more expensive with their tariffs, making mortgages more expensive with their deficits, and making gas more expensive with their illegal war, they cannot possibly run on their record.”
Additionally, Buttigieg brought up the Epstein files, accusing Republicans of having a “record of covering up” the documents. While the Justice Department released more than 3 million additional pages related to Epstein earlier this year, along with thousands of videos and images, portions of the material were redacted.
Buttigieg also mocked Trump’s campaign promise to “drain the swamp,” joking that “the only thing they’ve actually managed to drain is that reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.”
Democrats Currently Have the Edge in National Polling
Buttigieg’s claim that Republicans are losing has some support in the current political climate. However, the November elections are still more than two months away, and plenty could change before voters head to the polls.
Current polling gives Democrats an advantage. As of August 24, Silver Bulletin’s generic congressional ballot average puts the party approximately 7 points ahead of Republicans, with that lead growing to 8 points after an adjustment for likely voters.
Trump’s approval numbers have also taken a hit. A Reuters/Ipsos poll published in mid-August found that just 33% of Americans approved of his performance, marking the lowest rating of his second term so far. Concerns about the economy and the war with Iran featured prominently in the findings.
Critics Turn Buttigieg’s Argument Back on Democrats
Buttigieg’s attack on the Republican record did not go unanswered online, with several critics turning essentially the same question back on him and the Democratic Party.
“The only thing you are hungry for is money and power! You Dems are all corrupt! You should never win another election again!” one person wrote. Another told him, “You don’t have a record to run on either…so you just gonna throw out lies.” A third aimed at his previous jobs, writing, “You were a horrible Transportation Secretary. And a mayor who couldn’t fill the potholes in South Bend. Might want to tread carefully here…”
His mention of the Epstein files also drew pushback from people who questioned why the documents weren’t released during the Biden administration.
“How come when you folks were in charge you did NOTHING about the Epstein files?” one critic asked. Another said, “Who was in charge for four years and never released the Epstein files? Biden and the Dems. Go sit down.” Someone else similarly argued, “Biden could have ruined Trump’s run by releasing the Epstein files but chose not to.”
Others rejected Buttigieg’s broader assessment of Republicans. “Republicans have so much to run on, such as the borders are safe, taxes are less and we are building stuff, again. So tell us what the democrats have done,” one commenter argued. “Republicans aren’t losing, they hold more legislative and executive seats countrywide than democrats do. That’s a fact,” another claimed.
Buttigieg has also fueled speculation about whether another presidential campaign could be in his future. His South Carolina appearance came shortly after a trip to Nevada, putting him in two states that traditionally attract plenty of attention from potential presidential hopefuls. For now, however, Buttigieg has not announced a 2028 campaign and said his attention remains “totally focused on 2026.”
