Buttigieg’s Time-Travel Tips: How Democrats Could’ve Avoided 2024’s Election Wipeout

If Pete Buttigieg could hop into a DeLorean and zip back to 2020, he’d have some choice words for his fellow Democrats. Reflecting on the party’s 2024 drubbing, the former Transportation Secretary laid out a roadmap for what Democrats should’ve done differently, with a clarity that hindsight so generously provides.

School reopenings topped his list. The knee-jerk hesitancy to get kids back in classrooms wasn’t just a political fumble; it left a lasting mark on a generation. Buttigieg admitted the challenge of navigating a pandemic that claimed a million American lives but stressed that finding a way to safely reopen schools faster would’ve changed the game—both for kids and the party’s image.

Next up, he’d urge Democrats to prioritize the border. Ignoring the growing border security concerns was a misstep, both in policy and optics. Buttigieg noted that the issue demanded urgent action, not a leisurely approach, and Democrats paid a price for their sluggishness.

Finally, he’d rethink how Democrats talked about the economy. For too long, the party equated jobs with economic success, sidelining the impact of rising prices. Inflation, Buttigieg reflected, wasn’t just a post-pandemic inevitability—it was a conversation Democrats dodged at their peril.

Buttigieg’s advice isn’t about rewriting history but learning from it. His candid take shows a party grappling with its missteps, trying to find a way to connect with everyday Americans again.