Buttigieg says he's proud of his record as South Bend mayor
MARSHALLTOWN, Iowa (AP) — Democratic presidential contender Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) says he's proud of his record as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, but realizes some problems remain.
Speaking about his city, he told The Associated Press on Wednesday after a campaign stop in Marshalltown, Iowa: "This is not a rags-to-riches story. This is a story about transforming our trajectory."
His record overseeing the midsize Midwestern city of about 100,000 residents since 2012 has been scrutinized in recent weeks as his campaign has surged. While the median household income in South Bend has increased and the poverty rate has declined under his watch, Buttigieg's detractors have noted those figures lag statewide and national trends.
Buttigieg says, "I'm not going around saying we've fixed every problem we've got, but I'm so proud of what we've done together."