Pete Buttigieg, the Democratic mayor of South Bend, Ind., said on Sunday that he understands the "audacity of somebody like me" running for president.

"But frankly, it's a leap for anybody, anybody who arrives behind that desk," Buttigieg added on ABC's "This Week."

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"And yet, all of the people who have had that job have been mortals who just bring their experience to the table."

.@GStephanopoulos: "It's a big leap from Mayor of South Bend ... Do you know what you don't know about being president?"



Pete Buttigieg: "I get the audacity of somebody like me talking about running for this office, but frankly, it's elite for anybody" https://t.co/4sQvjfesYA pic.twitter.com/dNCRuhsTpb — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 3, 2019

Buttigieg, who announced his candidacy for president earlier this month, is openly gay, a Harvard graduate and a lieutenant in the Navy Reserve.

He also said on ABC that he believes his experience as a mayor would be useful in the White House.

“My experience is that of guiding a city through a transformation," Buttigieg said. "I think a mayor at any level has the kind of executive, front line government experience — and by the way, problem-solving experience — that we need more in Washington right now.”