Buttigieg Declares He Is the ‘Strongest Alternative’ to Sanders: ‘That’s Been Us’

Former South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) is confident he is the only candidate who can beat Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

During an interview on MSNBC, Buttigieg argued that there “needs to be an alternative” to Sanders and asserted that he is the only candidate who could beat the Vermont senator in the primary.

“There needs to be an alternative, and most Democrats are looking for a candidate other than Bernie Sanders. I’ve got the most delegates other than Bernie Sanders. The most votes other than Bernie Sanders. And I’m the only one to beat him anywhere on the map this year. So, if the question is who’s got the strongest alternative so far, that’s been us.”

Watch the interview below:

WATCH: @PeteButtigieg tells @kwelkernbc that he is the “strongest alternative” to Bernie Sanders.

Buttigieg: “I’m the only one to beat him anywhere on the map this year.” pic.twitter.com/pDeIYdYZti

— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) February 28, 2020

Buttigieg’s comments come after Sanders has emerged as the front-runner for the nomination following his wins in New Hampshire and Nevada.

During the Democratic debate in South Carolina on Feb. 25, Buttigieg argued that if Sanders won the nomination, he would lose to President Donald Trump and cost Democrats their majority in the House. 

However, after coming in a close second in New Hampshire, Buttigieg has been polling at fifth place nationally. Additionally, Buttigieg and other candidates are facing increased pressure to drop out of the race so that an alternative to Sanders can emerge.

An internal memo from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s campaign said that the other candidates should drop out of the race so that Bloomberg could become that alternative. 

But, after Bloomberg’s first debate — which was labeled a “disaster” by pundits — Buttigieg’s campaign called on the former New York mayor to drop out.