Just one week after the midterm elections, Pete Buttigieg—already viewed as a potential Democratic presidential contender for 2028—is offering a glimpse of what may come next.
Buttigieg, 44, served as President Joe Biden’s transportation secretary after making an impressive run for the Democratic nomination in 2020 at the age of 37.
On Tuesday, he announced that he had written a book with a notably pointed title: “Next.”
“Lately, a lot of people have been asking me, ‘What’s next?’ And as it happens, I’ve been thinking about that very subject for about a year,” Buttigieg said in a video posted on social media. “I’m proud to announce and excited to release my new book, ‘Next.’”
For politicians, publishing a book is often seen as a signal of larger ambitions—including a possible presidential campaign.
Buttigieg was the leading choice among potential 2028 Democratic candidates in a Quantus Insights poll conducted in August. However, most surveys continue to show former Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris as the front-runner.
The book is scheduled for release on January 26—roughly the same point in the presidential campaign calendar when Buttigieg announced an exploratory committee in January 2019.
That move made him the first major openly gay candidate to seek the presidential nomination of a major U.S. political party.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced Tuesday that his new book, “Next,” will be released soon. A book launch is often viewed as a sign that a politician may be preparing for a presidential run
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks at a Minnesota campaign rally supporting Democratic candidates for the Senate and governor. He has long been considered a potential Democratic presidential candidate for 2028
A month later, Buttigieg published his first book, Shortest Way Home. He followed it with Trust: America’s Best Chance ahead of the 2020 election.
Before joining the national political stage, Buttigieg served two terms as mayor of South Bend, Indiana, from 2012 through 2020. He also unsuccessfully sought the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee in 2017.
That loss did not deter him from pursuing higher office. Buttigieg announced his exploratory committee bid in Washington on January 23, 2019, before formally launching his presidential campaign that April.
In February 2020, he made history as the first openly gay candidate to win the most delegates in a presidential nominating contest when he prevailed in the Iowa caucuses.
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But the victory failed to generate the expected momentum after a software problem delayed the Iowa results for a day.
Progressive Senator Bernie Sanders also won the popular vote in Iowa, giving his campaign an additional boost.
Sanders then narrowly defeated Buttigieg in the New Hampshire primary before decisively beating him in the Nevada caucuses.
The race shifted in South Carolina, where then-former Vice President Joe Biden scored a decisive victory. Buttigieg endorsed Biden the following day, just before Super Tuesday, when a large number of states hold their primary contests.
Buttigieg went on to serve throughout all four years of Biden’s Cabinet.
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks at a Wisconsin campaign event ahead of last week’s midterm elections. Buttigieg chose not to run for Senate in Michigan, where he moved in 2022. His new book has renewed speculation about his presidential ambitions
In 2022, Buttigieg and his husband, Chasten, moved their family to Traverse City, Michigan. The relocation fueled speculation that he might run for the Senate there in 2026.
Buttigieg ultimately decided against a Senate bid. He nevertheless campaigned for other Democrats ahead of the midterms and became a frequent Democratic voice on Fox News Channel.
His announcement of a new policy book comes as several other Democrats considered possible 2028 contenders have released memoirs or political books.
Harris published 107 Days, her account of the 2024 campaign, in September 2025. The book went on to become a best-seller.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro released a book in January, followed a month later by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear published his book in September.
On the Republican side, Vice President JD Vance released Communion, a follow-up to his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, in June.
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