PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Local supporters of Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg gathered Sunday night to raise money for his campaign.
The 37-year-old South Bend, Indiana mayor addressed donors at two events in Providence.
The first was a reception for high-dollar donors at the restaurant Nick’s on Westminster. Among the guests were Congressman David Cicilline and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, who is a member of the host committee for Sunday’s visit.
“He’s an incredible person and he’s our best shot for retaking the White House,” Elorza said. “We need somebody that’s going to be a unifying voice and spirit. Someone with bold ideas and a vision for America and I think Mayor Pete is that person.”
Cicilline has not endorsed Buttigieg but spoke at both of his events on Sunday.
“Obviously, there are a lot of great candidates, but I’m particularly impressed with Mayor Pete. I think he represents the next generation of leadership in the country,” Cicilline said. “I think any time we have a democratic nominee come to the state it’s a great opportunity to listen to them and to assess them, and he’s brought a lot of excitement to this presidential campaign.”
Later in the evening, an event described as a “grassroots fundraiser” was held at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium. Tickets ranged in price from $15 to $500 and were sold out, according to the campaign’s website.
