Buttigieg gains backing from Indianapolis mayor

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Pete Buttigieg's presidential bid gained the backing Thursday of Indiana's other highest-profile Democrat as Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett joined in filing the paperwork to place the former South Bend mayor's name on the state's May primary ballot.

Buttigieg joins a crowded field of nine Democrats who've qualified for the Indiana ballot as his unlikely rise over the past year to the top tier of presidential hopefuls continues.

Hogsett told a few dozen Buttigieg supporters outside the Indiana secretary of state's office that Buttigieg has shown an ability to work across party lines and 'œrepresents the best of what makes America work.'ť

'œPete's ability to give hope to all those disaffected with the status quo is exactly what our state and our country need right now,'ť Hogsett said.

Other Democrats who've filed for Indiana's primary are former Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; businessmen Tom Steyer and Andrew Yang; and Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard. They have until Feb. 20 to withdraw.

Vice President Mike Pence's wife filed President Donald Trump's paperwork Wednesday for the state's Republican primary ballot. Karen Pence touted Trump's actions toward national economic growth and new foreign trade deals.