GOP pollster says Pete Buttigieg’s policies are in line with Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren
By Anna Hopkins
Fox News
May 20, 2019
A day after 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg’s town hall with Fox News, Republican pollster Chris Wilson told “Fox & Friends” that the South Bend, Indiana mayor’s political platforms aren’t unlike those of Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
Arguing that it was a “smart move” by Buttigieg to appear at the Fox News town hall, just as Sanders did and Warren refused to do, Wilson added that Buttigieg is likely still too far outside the mainstream to gain a popular vote.
“It’s the younger, well-informed, center-left candidate,” Wilson, CEO of WPA Intelligence, said. “But at the same time, there is not much distinguishable between his policies and those of Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.
“Even though he put a softer edge on it, I think in the end he comes off as somebody who is way too far out of the mainstream for American politics,” he continued.
Buttigieg acknowledged at the event that he needs to work harder to appeal to voters of color.
According to “Fox & Friends” host Ainsley Earhardt, Buttigieg is polling well among white voters but at only one percent among “non-white primary voters.”
Wilson said this means Buttigieg will find success in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, but will face more difficulty when campaigning in southern states like South Carolina, Texas and Georgia.
“Even in California, the vote will be heavily Hispanic, heavily African-American. He will have challenges outside of major metropolitan areas and outside of the midwest,” Wilson said.
Despite the mayor’s impressive rise since announcing his presidential run, Wilson said he believes Buttigieg will have a strong run but eventually “flame out.”
Given the fact that Joe Biden continues to lead the polls among Democratic voters, Earhardt asked Wilson whether it’s possible Biden could choose Buttigieg as his running mate, should he get the nomination.
“The Democratic party will not accept a ticket with two white males,” Wilson said.
“Buttigieg may be homosexual he still is white. Major coalitions of the Democratic party, African-Americans, Hispanics, are going to come out and say ‘won’t stand for this,’ you have to have Kamala Harris or someone like that as the VP,” he added.