Mayor Pete and Chasten: An American Journey
From South Bend to Washington, a shared life shaped by politics, purpose, and parenthood
Hey Everyone!
It was a rough day today, but when I returned home, I was delighted to find an article written about one of my favorite politicians,
by one of my closest friends, . I’ve been a Pete fan for almost 10 years, and this article was incredible.If you love Pete like I do, I highly recommend you check this one out. Kenyon wrote a detailed account of Pete and his husband Chastain’s lives together. I hope you enjoy this bonus article today. It gives me hope about America’s future.
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I knew almost nothing about “Mayor Pete” before I started researching for this article. I wanted to understand more about the man who keeps making waves. So far, I haven’t been disappointed. As you’ll see, he’s lived quite a life. Along with his partner and husband, Chasten, we’re going to take a look at two people navigating a very public life in a country still thick with homophobia.
We’ll go all the way back to the beginning and follow the story of two Americans working hard toward what they believe could be a better future.
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Pete Buttigieg was born on January 19, 1982, in South Bend, Indiana, the only child of Joseph and Jennifer Anne Buttigieg. Both parents were professors at Notre Dame, and Pete grew up surrounded by books, ideas, and global perspectives. His father, a Maltese immigrant, translated the works of Antonio Gramsci, which added even more depth to the household. That multicultural and academic environment gave Pete some incredible opportunities and clearly helped shape the person he would become.
Seven and a half years later, Chasten James Glezman was born on June 23, 1989, in Traverse City, Michigan, to Terry and Sherri Glezman. His upbringing was rooted in a rural, working-class, and conservative environment. It was a world very different from Pete’s. Chasten has been open about his struggle for acceptance after coming out, including a brief period of homelessness. He later described that time as pivotal and necessary for his personal growth.
From early on, Pete stood out as an academic star. He graduated valedictorian of St. Joseph High School, then went on to Harvard, where he joined Phi Beta Kappa and earned a degree in History and Literature with magna cum laude honors in 2004. He was active in student politics and wrote for The Harvard Crimson. After graduating, he became a Rhodes Scholar and earned first-class honors in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from Pembroke College, Oxford, in 2007.
Chasten, after finishing high school, studied theater and global studies at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire. He later earned a master’s degree in education from DePaul University, becoming a middle school teacher who focused on humanities and drama. He’s always had a deep passion for education and the arts, which eventually grew into advocacy work at the national level.
Before entering politics, Pete worked for McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, in Chicago from 2007 to 2010. He handled projects across several sectors, including retail, energy, and economic development. In 2009, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve as an intelligence officer.
He was elected mayor of South Bend in 2011, and while serving in that role, he took a seven-month leave in 2014 to deploy to Afghanistan, where he earned the Joint Service Commendation Medal for his counterterrorism work.
Around that same time, Chasten was building his presence in the classroom and finding his voice as a young LGBTQ+ educator. He brought a unique mix of compassion, creativity, and honesty to his teaching style. His deep interest in the arts and social issues helped him form meaningful connections with students, especially those who felt like outsiders. As he grew more confident, he became increasingly outspoken about important topics like bullying, identity, mental health, and inclusion, both in and outside the classroom.
Chasten has since become well-known for his compassionate, empathetic, and heartfelt speeches.
As mentioned earlier, Pete ran for and won the mayorship of South Bend in 2011 at just 29 years old, making him one of the youngest mayors in the country, leading a city with over 100,000 people. He was reelected in 2015. During his time in office, he launched the “1,000 Properties in 1,000 Days” initiative to address urban blight, and he led the “Smart Streets” project, which focused on making downtown more accessible for pedestrians and better suited for local businesses. The city saw real revitalization during his leadership, and he picked up the nickname “Mayor Pete.”
In 2015, Pete publicly came out in a South Bend newspaper. It was a personal decision, but naturally, it carried political weight too. Not long after, he met Chasten on Hinge, and they’ve both hinted that their connection was instant. Two years later, Pete proposed at O’Hare Airport, and they were married in June 2018 at South Bend’s Episcopal Cathedral of St. James.
By 2019, Pete had launched his presidential campaign, becoming the first openly gay major-party candidate to win delegates in a U.S. primary. He gained momentum after winning the Iowa caucuses and focused his message on generational change, competence, and unity. He eventually dropped out in March 2020 and endorsed Joe Biden, playing a key role in building the coalition that would go on to defeat Donald Trump.
While Pete was running for president, Chasten stepped into the spotlight as a speaker and public figure in his own right. He became a well-liked presence on the campaign trail and an outspoken LGBTQ+ advocate, praised for his warmth, wit, and humor. In 2020, he published his first memoir, I Have Something to Tell You, followed by a bestselling children’s book in 2023 titled Papa’s Coming Home, which shares stories from their family life.
In 2021, President Biden appointed Pete as the 19th U.S. Secretary of Transportation, making him the first openly gay Cabinet member confirmed by the Senate. He was given the responsibility of overseeing the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and managing several major logistical challenges, including supply chain disruptions, rail safety concerns, commercial airline issues, and more.
That same year, Pete and Chasten adopted twins, Penelope Rose and Joseph August (nicknamed “Gus”), after a long and often difficult adoption process. The twins faced early complications that required time in the NICU. Since then, the couple has been open about both the joy and the sleep-deprived chaos of being first-time dads in the public eye.
Off-stage, Pete is a full-on nerd in the best way. He’s fluent in three languages and has studied or speaks seven total: Norwegian, Spanish, Italian, Maltese, Arabic, Dari Persian, and French. He’s also a classically trained pianist and a fan of Star Trek, Harry Potter, and board games like Settlers of Catan. He’s the author of Shortest Way Home and occasionally writes for major publications. Not to mention, he’s also here on Substack. Friends and colleagues describe him as disciplined, curious, and calm under pressure.
Chasten is the more openly emotional and approachable half of the couple. His social media presence is a mix of parenting highs and lows, political commentary, and gay dad humor. He’s used his platform to speak out on book bans, youth mental health, and LGBTQ+ visibility. He also shares plenty of adorable photos of Pete and their young family.
Today, they live in Traverse City, Michigan, and while Pete recently chose not to run for a Michigan Senate seat in 2025, there’s still plenty of speculation that he’s keeping the door open for a 2028 presidential bid. Even if he landed the Vice Presidential nomination, that alone would be a big win and a solid step toward a future run for the top job.
Together, Pete and Chasten represent something rare: a public couple juggling real love, parenting, and politics while doing their best to stay balanced and grounded. One is a disciplined achiever with a piano and a briefcase. The other is a tender-hearted teacher turned author with a gift for connecting and pulling on heartstrings. Whatever the magic is, Democrats are here for it.
Make no mistake, Pete is a major name in politics right now with a potentially bright future ahead. It would be foolish not to pay attention to him, and even more foolish to underestimate his tenacity.
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Links to Chasten’s Books:
I Have Something to Tell You
Papa’s Coming Home
Link to Pete’s Substack:
Pete’s Substack
Link to Pete’s book:
Shortest Way Home
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information presented in this biographical piece. To the best of my knowledge and ability, the facts included reflect the publicly available records, interviews, and sources accessible at the time of writing. If any detail is found to be inaccurate, whether in part or in full, please understand that it is not intentional and should not be considered misinformation. This content is not meant to mislead. Rather, it reflects the challenges of navigating complex and sometimes conflicting information in the public domain.
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I loved Pete from the beginning. Yet, the more I’ve gotten to know of him, the more I truly feel he would be best at leading this country. More harrahs for Pete!
He could be a very interesting candidate to be sure, and i rather hope to see the first LGBTQ+ president in my lifetime. Assuming of course, we make it that far. I want to hope we will, but the chaos that surrounds us now makes it difficult to do so.