Gaithersburg Mayor Calls Buttigieg His 'Favorite 2020 Candidate'

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman has thrown his support behind Democratic presidential candidate and South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

The endorsement came Friday evening with a photo of the pair at Buttigieg's fundraiser in Bethesda.

Ashman posted the the picture on Twitter shortly after 10 p.m., calling the Democratic presidential hopeful his "favorite 2020 candidate."

Meet my favorite 2020 candidate, Mayor @PeteButtigieg. I hope you’ll take a good look at him too. He’s the real deal & there’s plenty of room on this bandwagon. pic.twitter.com/K4i6WEslN0
— Jud Ashman (@judashman) December 14, 2019

The 2020 Democratic presidential field remains historically large — despite three candidates dropping out in less than 48 hours earlier this month.

There are 15 candidates running in the upcoming election. And Buttigieg, 37, is vying to become America's youngest president.

According to the latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll, Buttigieg clinched 13 percent support among Democratic voters and Democratic-leaning independents. He is one of four candidates to poll in the double digits.

Leading the crowded field of Democrats are former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, with 24 and 22 percent, respectively. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren is third with 17 percent.