Rev. Al Sharpton said in an interview Monday that he found South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice Hillicon Valley: FBI, DHS warn that foreign hackers will likely spread disinformation around election results | Social media platforms put muscle into National Voter Registration Day | Trump to meet with Republican state officials on tech liability shield MORE (D) “more impressive” than he expected and expressed confidence that the U.S. would someday elect a gay president.

“I was impressed that he was pretty certain what he stood for [and] what he didn't,” Sharpton told the Daily Mail regarding his April meeting with the 37-year-old presidential candidate. “I did not feel he was patronizing. He said things that he knew I may disagree with, and he was firm on things that he and I may agree with.”

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“The most impressive thing about him is he seems comfortable in his own skin,” Sharpton added. “You meet a lot of political people that you feel they're insecure or trying to mold themselves to what they think you like. He seems to be who he is. And I think that's impressive and refreshing.”

Sharpton also said the U.S. would eventually have an openly gay president.

“I think they will. Whether it's Pete, I don't know. But I think they will,” he said.

Buttigieg has often invoked his experience as a gay man on the campaign trail, landing the cover of Time with his husband, Chasten Buttigieg, earlier this month.

Sharpton did not endorse Buttigieg, but a source told the Daily Mail that his eventual endorsement would go to a candidate committed to prison reform and restoring jobs to inner cities. The source said the South Bend mayor “seems to punch some of the right buttons.” After the two met for lunch, Buttigieg said they had discussed an “agenda that's going to be a very core part of my campaign, something that focuses on home ownership, entrepreneurship, health, education and criminal justice.”