Watch CBS News

During Austin Town Hall Buttigieg Asks How Pence Can Support 'Porn Star Presidency'

AUSTIN (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg said Sunday night that he and Vice President Mike Pence have different views of their Christian faith and that he doesn't understand Pence's loyalty to President Donald Trump.

Pete Buttigeig
Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, Pete Buttigeig arrives at a news conference January 23, 2019 in Washington, D.C. (credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

During a CNN town hall meeting in Austin, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said his feeling "is that the Scripture is about protecting the stranger, the prisoner, the poor person, and that idea of welcome. That's what I get in the Gospel when I'm in church." He said Pence's view "has a lot more to do with sexuality, a certain view of rectitude."

Buttigieg said he is puzzled by Pence's strong support for the president.

"How could Pence allow himself to become the cheerleader of the porn star presidency?" and added, "Is it that he stopped believing in Scripture, when he started believing in Donald Trump?"

Pence was governor of Indiana from 2013 to 2017.

Buttigieg, 37, is in the running for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination and, if elected, would be the nation's first gay president.

(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.