DES MOINES, IA - Today, Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart announced his endorsement of Pete Buttigieg for president.

“I am proud to endorse Pete Buttigieg for president,” said Mayor Hart. “When Pete was elected mayor in 2011, a national magazine called South Bend one of America’s ‘dying cities.’ Pete brought his community together to transform their city for the 21st century. We’re working to do the same in Waterloo. Pete is running to bring the same transformative approach he brought to his city to our country—and I’m proud to stand alongside him in that effort. As our nation moves forward, we cannot continue to ignore communities like ours, and I know that Pete won’t forget places like Waterloo because he comes from one.”

“In his time as the mayor of Waterloo, Mayor Hart has been a bridge builder –– uniting the city around solutions to the challenges they’ve been facing for decades, said Buttigieg. “I am honored to have Mayor Hart’s support and his endorsement. I look forward to Mayor Hart joining me on the campaign trail across Iowa in the coming weeks.”

Hart made history in 2015 when he was elected as the first African American mayor of Waterloo. He previously served for eight years on the city council and is a Waterloo native. In September, Hart introduced Pete in Waterloo on his first all-access bus tour of Iowa. Despite a rainstorm, Pete drew the largest crowd of any candidate in Waterloo this caucus cycle.

Hart joins Mayor Matt Bemrich of Fort Dodge, Mayors Pro-Tem Paul Adams of Mason City and Mitch Gross of Coralville, Congressman Dave Loebsack State Representatives Kristin Sunde and Brian Meyer, State Senators Tony Bisignano and Bill Dotzler, former State Representative Deb Berry, and over 115 other Democratic elected officials and activists in Iowa backing Pete for president.