Buttigieg Says GOP Wrong on Midterm Issues

The former transportation secretary, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, made the remarks in a CNN interview with anchor Kaitlan Collins.

Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Political Parties

Buttigieg Says GOP Wrong on Midterm Issues

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Pete Buttigieg said on CNN that Republicans are wrong on key midterm issues, taking direct aim at President Donald Trump during the interview with anchor Kaitlan Collins. The remarks came as Democrats are shown in polls to be in the driver's seat heading into the midterm elections.

Why it matters

Buttigieg, a potential 2028 presidential candidate who ran in 2020, is using a national television platform to frame the midterms around Republican policy positions. The comments add to the Democratic case against GOP handling of Medicaid and taxes as voters weigh the upcoming elections.

Buttigieg cited Republican Medicaid cuts and tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans as points of contention in the midterms. Polls referenced in the interview show Democrats ahead, though the exact figures were not provided.

The players

Pete Buttigieg

Former U.S. Transportation Secretary and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate widely viewed as a potential 2028 contender.

Kaitlan Collins

CNN anchor who conducted the interview with Buttigieg.

Mike Johnson

Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The details

In the CNN interview with anchor Kaitlan Collins, Buttigieg criticized Republicans on key midterm issues and took direct aim at Trump. He also referenced the ongoing U.S. war with Iran and Trump's rally remarks about senators' bodies.

November 3, 2026: Buttigieg's CNN interview airs on midterm election day.

Political Context

Buttigieg's 2020 presidential run gave him a national platform that he is now using to position himself as a potential 2028 candidate. His criticism of Republican Medicaid and tax policy previews the central arguments Democrats are likely to press in the midterms.

Voters weighing the midterms will see Medicaid and tax policy debated as central issues on the ballot. Changes to these programs would directly affect household health coverage and tax obligations depending on the outcome.

The takeaway

Policy debates over Medicaid and taxes are likely to shape how voters evaluate candidates in the midterms and the 2028 field. Readers following the race can track how each party's positions on these issues develop.