Buttigieg takes his case to Fox News before Iowa

Pete Buttigieg shot into 2020 contention with a viral town hall last March. On Sunday, he turned back to that setting for one final pre-Iowa caucuses boost — this time on Fox News, seeking an audience of disaffected moderates and “future former Republicans” to pitch on electability.

Buttigieg, who is vying with Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren for a win in the caucuses, isn’t expecting to draw in many Iowa Republicans with his appearance on Fox News Sunday night. But the platform jibed with Buttigieg’s closing message in the state: that the 38-year-old ex-mayor is best positioned to bring the party together to defeat President Donald Trump in November.

“This network is known for having a lot more conservative viewers, but I don’t think you have to be a Democrat to see what is wrong with this president,” Buttigieg said, when asked about how he would appeal to Republican voters in the general election. “If you’re having trouble looking your kids in the eye and explaining this presidency to them, you have a choice.”

“The pushback on Pete is that, A, he’s young, and B, he’s gay,” said Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.), who was the first member of Congress to endorse Buttigieg last year. “A way he overcomes this double negative message is going into the lion’s den, performing well, and have people come out and say, ‘Hey, I like him. He sounds reasonable.’”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/01/26/buttigieg-takes-case-fox-news-iowa-105647