Presidential candidate and South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg calmly dismissed anti-LGBTQ hecklers with the help of his supporters during his first visit to Iowa April 16.
The initial heckler confronted Buttigieg at a town hall in Fort Dodge, the AP reports, after Buttigieg discussed marriage equality. “You betray your baptism!” the protester said before being escorted from the gathering.
“Coffee after church gets a little rowdy sometimes,” Buttigieg shared with supporters. He subsequently noted that “We’re so dug-in, in such passionate ways, and I respect that, too. That gentleman believes that what he is doing is in line with the will of the creator. I’d do it differently. We ought to be able to do it differently.”
Two additional anti-LGBTQ hecklers confronted the candidate at another stop in Des Moines, shouting about the biblical cities Sodom and Gomorrah. According to the Bible, the cities were destroyed for what it calls “sinful acts.”
The heckler’s “Remember Sodom and Gomorrah!” was quickly drowned out by Buttigieg supporters, who repeatedly chanted “Pete!” as others applauded and cheered.
“The good news is the condition of my soul is in the hands of God,” Buttigieg responded once the chanting subsided, “but the Iowa caucuses are up to you.”
You can watch the full exchange below.
Mayor Pete’s response: “The good news is the condition of my soul is in the hands of God, but the Iowa caucuses are up to you.” Crowd goes wild. #IACaucus pic.twitter.com/GRQrIzdH19
— Iowa Caucus Watch (@caucuswatch) April 17, 2019
Buttigieg thanked his supporters via Twitter following the stop.
Thanks for coming out to see us tonight, Des Moines. pic.twitter.com/VF3hn958SC
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) April 17, 2019
(Photo via Twitter)
