NASHUA – The most recent New Hampshire Institute of Politics polls shows Indiana’s Pete Buttigieg leading the first-in-the-nation (#FITN) race by 10 points over both Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren – and by 16 points over Bernie Sanders.

This is only one poll, but the support for the 37-year-old, openly gay mayor of a town of 102,000 to be the next president seems strong among New Hampshire Democrats.

That support should be bolstered by today’s endorsements from three elected leaders within the city of Nashua:

• Alderman At Large Ben Clemons,

• New Hampshire Rep. Sue Newman, D-Nashua, and

• New Hampshire Rep. Ray Newman, D-Nashua.

“With America’s standing in the world so degraded and our alliances so frayed by the Trump administration, I’m proud to support Pete Buttigieg because he has the experience, temperament, and wisdom to restore American leadership and diplomacy abroad. As a veteran, Pete has personally defended our interests and safeguarded our Democratic values — something this country has been severely lacking of late,” Clemons said.

“I’ve watched my close friends and family deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan on the orders of our commander in chief — and seen what happens when they return. Pete understands that foreign policy isn’t an abstract discussion, but something that affects our everyday lives,” Clemons added.

As for the Newmans, they believe the enthusiasm Buttigieg elicits from those who attend his rallies is something special.

“The first time I saw Pete Buttigieg, the enthusiasm in the large crowd of both young and not-so-young people was felt,” Sue Newman said. “While everyone couldn’t correctly pronounce his last name then, we all recognized Pete as an exceptionally bright leader, who thinks big, listens well, and is able to thoughtfully articulate solutions to the issues affecting all of us: health care, climate change, gun violence prevention, the need for quality education and economic opportunities for everyone, and the critical need to heal our polarized nation.”

Ray Newman said he understands some may mention Buttigieg’s relative youth and inexperience for the position he seeks. However, Newman believes Buttigieg’s work in the military and as a mayor are invaluable in seeking the presidency.

“When I was 24, I was a helicopter pilot in the Army and commanded a maintenance detachment in Vietnam. I knew that with little experience in the maintenance of jet engines and avionics, I needed to rely on and inspire the members of my team to accomplish our mission effectively while working under difficult circumstances,” Newman said. “As a veteran, Pete has that same mission-driven focus on teamwork. And as a mayor, he knows what it takes to create, inspire, and lead a team to deliver for the people counting on him. For all these reasons and more, I’m proud to support Pete Buttigieg.”