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An Honorable Profession Celebrates 300th Episode with Pete Buttigieg

News Category: Media

For Immediate Release:

DATE: October 23, 2025
CONTACT: Christian Hall, The NewDEAL, christian@newdealleaders.org

Marking the 300th episode of An Honorable Profession with Pete Buttigieg reflecting on lessons from local leadership and their impact on national politics.

Launched in 2018, An Honorable Profession has become a meaningful platform for rising Democratic leaders to share how they are solving problems, delivering results, and rebuilding trust in government in communities across the country. Over 300 episodes, the podcast has featured more than 200 state and local leaders across the country, many of whom have gone on to higher office and become national figures, including U.S. Reps. Sarah McBride and Kristen McDonald Rivet, Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, and Governor Matt Meyer of Delaware.

In this episode, Pete Buttigieg, one of the podcast’s early guests and a longtime NewDEAL Leader before he became the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, reflects on his journey from mayor of South Bend to presidential candidate and cabinet secretary, highlighting how the lessons of local leadership continue to guide his approach to politics and public service.

Key themes from the conversation include:

How his time as mayor still influences his vision for national politics
Why delivering everyday results builds trust in government
The role of mayors in keeping communities safe
What it means to “fight” as Democrats and what we’re fighting for
Communicating beyond the partisan echo chamber
Affordability, democracy, and the issues resonating with voters ahead of 2026

“You know, so much has changed, but really, all of the experiences since then, running for president, serving in the cabinet, becoming a private citizen as I am now... I find that I'm constantly returning to the mentality of a mayor, a young mayor in a Midwestern city that was struggling to find its future. And I think a lot of the lessons from those two terms really are at the heart of how I try to practice politics now.” — Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation

“From our earliest episodes, An Honorable Profession has uplifted leaders who embody the best of public service with pragmatic, innovative, and smart leadership,” said Debbie Cox Bultan, CEO of NewDEAL. “It’s only fitting that our 300th episode features Secretary Buttigieg, who has shown how lessons from local government can shape a vision for our nation.”

Listeners can hear the full episode with Secretary Buttigieg and explore past conversations with state and local leaders from across the country on all major podcast platforms.

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