Pete Buttigieg pitches himself as alternative to Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren in New Hampshire

NEW LONDON, N.H. — Democrat Pete Buttigieg is testing the limits of neighborly goodwill in the Granite State — doubling down on his pitch as the bold but pragmatic challenger to those looking for an alternative to next-door presidential hopefuls Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.

“There’s no question that there’s a strong neighborhood advantage if you live close to New Hampshire, but there’s also no question that voters here think for themselves,” Buttigieg told the Herald in an exclusive interview Friday. “There’s a strong independent-minded streak here in New Hampshire and our message is resonating.”

The 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Ind., doesn’t lean as far left as the Massachusetts or Vermont senators, nor does he have the Washington experience of former Vice President Joe Biden.

That’s exactly the contrast he’s banking on to win over voters in the home of the first-in-the-nation primary. Backed by more than a dozen offices and 60 staffers statewide, Buttigieg is pitching himself as the candidate “who can advance bold ideas and bring people together around them.”

Read more: https://www.bostonherald.com/2019/10/25/pete-buttigieg-pitches-himself-as-alternative-to-bernie-sanders-elizabeth-warren-in-new-hampshire/