The San Diego Union-Tribune endorsed former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Bogeymen of the far left deserve a place in any Biden administration Overnight Defense: Woodward book causes new firestorm | Book says Trump lashed out at generals, told Woodward about secret weapons system | US withdrawing thousands of troops from Iraq MORE in the Democratic primary race in an editorial published Thursday.

The editorial board described it as a close call between Buttigieg and Sen. Amy Klobuchar Amy KlobucharThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by The Air Line Pilots Association - White House moves closer to Pelosi on virus relief bill EPA delivers win for ethanol industry angered by waivers to refiners It's time for newspapers to stop endorsing presidential candidates MORE (D-Minn.), two of the leading moderates in the race. Klobuchar has been endorsed by dozens of editorial boards, including The New York Times, which also endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenBiden's fiscal program: What is the likely market impact? Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt The Hill's 12:30 Report - Presented by Facebook - Don't expect a government check anytime soon MORE (D-Mass.).

“It’s close, but in the view of The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, Buttigieg is best suited to beat Trump because of his centrist policies, his military experience, his (admittedly small-scale) executive experience and the enthusiasm he’s inspired, with better fundraising and national polling, bigger campaign crowds and more news coverage than Klobuchar,” the board wrote.

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“He has shown he can manage a national campaign successfully. And in a nation that only legalized same-sex marriage in 2015, his message of generational change could actually inspire change,” it also said.

California is set to hold its primary on Super Tuesday on March 3 and will award 415 delegates, the biggest haul of that day.

The endorsement comes the day after a heated exchange between the two moderates during the Democratic primary debate on Wednesday, in which Buttigieg hit Klobuchar after she was unable to name the Mexican president during a forum in Nevada earlier this month.

"Are you trying to say that I’m dumb — are you mocking me here, Pete?” Klobuchar said. “I said I made an error; people sometimes forget names. I am the one who has the experience based on passing over 100 bills.”

Klobuchar — along with other 2020 Democrats — have questioned Buttigieg’s experience as a two-term mayor of South Bend.

But the Union-Tribune's editorial board echoed the responses Buttigieg often gives to those attacks, touting his military experience and record of improving South Bend’s economy while in office.