Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg stopped in Montgomery today on a two-day swing through Alabama and said his message of improving health care and opportunities for African Americans should connect in a state where blacks make up the largest portion of the Democratic vote.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Ind., met privately in a “health equity roundtable” this afternoon in Montgomery and then fielded questions from reporters for about 10 minutes at a sports bar.

“I really value the opportunity to engage black voters and talk about our vision for black Americans,” Buttigieg said. "I speak to a lot of voters from the black community in particular who have felt abused by one party and sometimes taken for granted by the other."

Buttigieg touted his proposed Frederick Douglass initiative, named after the 19th century human rights advocate who rose from slavery to became an eminent writer, speaker, and leader in the abolition movement. The plan is described on Buttigieg’s campaign website as a broad proposal that includes health care and criminal justice reform, strengthening access to credit and capital, increased funding to historically black colleges and universities, and other ideas. Buttigieg supports creating a commission to develop proposals for Congress for reparations for slavery, Jim Crow policies, and their aftermath.

Buttigieg said the goal is to "dismantle systemic racism."

“The reality is we have got to act in our lifetime to dismantle racial inequity or it will I am convinced drag down the entire American project,” Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg is scheduled to be in Birmingham on Wednesday for a community leaders meeting at the Redmont Hotel. Before coming to Alabama, he campaigned in North Carolina and South Carolina.

Buttigieg praised California Sen. Kamala Harris, who announced today she was dropping out of the Democratic race because of an inability to raise enough money to be competitive.

“First of all, she’s been a formidable figure and leader in many ways, both in the Senate and as a national voice,” Buttigieg said. “I think our campaign is certainly better and sharper from having competed with her in the field and you learn a lot from just being able to spend time around fellow Democrats who share the same core values even as we’re competing in this primary process.”

Buttigieg is one of 17 candidates who qualified with the Alabama Democratic Party to be on the ballot in the March 3 presidential primary. Three have since dropped out -- Harris, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock, and former Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak.

The New York Times rates Buttigieg fourth at this point behind Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders.

The first voting takes place at the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3. Alabama is one of 15 states that will have its primary or convention on Super Tuesday.

Buttigieg, who supports abortion rights, was asked what he would do as president to address restrictions on abortion like the almost total ban passed by the Alabama Legislature earlier this year. The law has been blocked by a federal court. Advocates of the ban are hoping it leads to a review of Roe v. Wade by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Buttigieg said he would work to protect abortion rights through legislation and executive action.

“I think what we see in Alabama is unfortunately, among legislators, a refusal to follow the law of the land,” Buttigieg said. "Roe vs. Wade is the law of the land. It has the majority of the American people supporting this framework.

“And the most important thing to consider as people of good conscience reach different views on this issue is that even if not everybody can agree on where to draw the line, we should be able to come to an agreement about who gets to draw the line. And I believe that should be women who are confronting this choice.”

Buttigieg said he toured the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery today. The memorial, developed by the Equal Justice Initiative, commemorates hundreds of African Americans who died from lynching in Alabama.

“It is a reminder of the unspeakable harm done by white supremacy in this country but also a reminder that things from hundreds of years ago and things going on today are all connected," Buttigieg said.

"I believe anyone seeking the highest office in the land owes it to black Americans and to the country to talk about what we’re going to do about these issues. And I welcome the opportunity to engage voters on just that."

Buttigieg, 37, is a Navy veteran who was deployed in the Afghanistan war. He has been mayor of South Bend since 2011. Buttigieg is openly gay and married Chasten Glezman, a junior high school teacher, last year.

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