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The more you learn, the more you fall in love.

For most of the announced 2020 Presidential candidates, the starting block doubled as a stumbling block.

O’Rourke has already fumbled over some ham-handed comments about his relationship with his wife, Warren is sparring with the likeability factor , and Booker is struggling to prove he’s moved on from the cataclysmic vote that forever marked him as big pharma’s stooge.

To be fair, some of these stories are simply the overplayed gossip of a lazy national media grasping for any excuse to dramatize the 2020 campaigns far before they are relevant. And I’ll add that the “likeability” question reeks of sexism. But fair or not, the media has found cause to cast grey clouds over all the 2020 Democrats so far — with the exception of Pete Buttigieg.

For the Indiana mayor with a funny surname, the political world is inside out. The more voters learn about his history, his motives, and his character, the more they fall in love with him.

Buttigieg may be one of the most accomplished 37 year-olds walking the planet. He is a talented pianist who once played on stage with the South Bend Orchestra and Ben Folds . His husband tweeted this video of him playing piano at what appears to be a bar in South Bend, Indiana.

But musicianship is the least of his talents. The former Rhodes Scholar reportedly speaks seven languages, learning Norwegian just so he could read the work of novelist Erlend Loe in the original language.

In respect to Buttigieg’s character, after graduating from Harvard, Buttigieg joined the Navy reserves and was deployed to Afghanistan . He apparently joined the military for no other reason than his belief in service.

But what about likeability? Try loveability.

Buttigieg’s Twitter personality is humble but witty. His online presence omits the abrasion that turns off moderates while maintaining a dry subtlety that endears him to fire-spitting progressives. He has a smart social media game. And if 2016 is any indication, that’s a quality necessary for a modern day President.

It also helps that the social media sphere so far seems to be unanimous in adoration for him. One recent viral tweet described a person’s experience with the humble mayor’s translating skills.

The leading argument against Buttigieg? As a mayor, he’s not the traditional image of “electable.” But grounds for that stand are fading quickly as Buttigieg garners editorial after editorial in support of his ethos.

A long year remains until most voters will make their decision, but from where we are now, Buttigieg is making a convincing case that he deserves a spot on your short list.

-Ben Chapman