In early polling of likely Democratic voters, U.S. Senators Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are among those who have emerged as early favorites for president.

Add in celebrity Beto O’Rourke plus a former vice-president, and the Democrats have a formidable field of candidates to oppose President Trump in 2020.

However, the candidate whom I will focus on in this piece is South Bend’s Democratic Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

For those who are geographically challenged, South Bend is located in the state of Indiana which lies east of Illinois, west of Ohio and south of Michigan. Donald Trump won these so-called Rust Belt states in 2016.

This area of your country is sometimes pejoratively described as “flyover country” by those who presume, for example, that the smug Bill Maher or unamusing Stephen Colbert serve as social arbiters for American culture. (So much for my contribution to our nation’s cultural and political divide.)

Mayor Buttigieg (Boot-edge-edge) is a Rhodes scholar, Afghanistan veteran and a native Midwesterner who is openly gay. At age 37, he is a voice from the millennial generation.

Unlike Sanders or the new “rock star” of the Democratic Party, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Mayor Pete is not a raving socialist nor is he calling for revolution.

As mayor, he worked within the same capitalistic structure now being maligned by Democratic Socialists and revitalized South Bend. He was able to draw in new residents and businesses, diversify the local economy and clean up blighted, abandoned homes.

Mayor Buttigieg was able to facilitate a formula of fixes which continues to elude our (myself included) collective efforts here in Lake County. He led his economically floundering city through a technological transformation by pivoting and preparing for the future economy.

His performance in a nationally televised town hall propelled him from obscurity to the position of most appealing underdog.

When he discusses public policy issues, he doesn’t buy into a media narrative nor does he sound like a politician eyeing the highest office in the land. Mayor Pete's authenticity is refreshing.

Buttigieg possesses a number of qualities which Democrats see as counters to President Trump: he is thoughtful, well-read and decent. Being from Indiana, he also understands Republicans. Mayor Pete might be the unifying leader Barrack Obama promised but failed to be.

Michael Tabacchi lives in Middletown, Calif.