Democrat Pete Buttigieg has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2020 US presidential election. The mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said: "I belong to a generation that is stepping forward right now". The 37-year-old is the ninth person to join the battle for the Democratic Party's nomination, in what is already a crowded race. If he wins the nomination, Mr Buttigieg will be the first openly gay choice of a major political party. He is also the youngest contender so far in the 2020 presidential race. However, observers believe he may struggle to compete against other Democrats, who are more well known, and likely to raise more funds. Senators Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kirsten Gillibrand, representatives Tulsi Gabbard and John Delaney, and former secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro are among those who have also announced their intention to run. Who is Pete Buttigieg?He was first elected mayor of South Bend, which has a population of about 100,000, back in 2011 when he was just 29. The video announcing he will run for president focuses on his role in the Rust Belt city's redevelopment and also takes aim at corruption and infighting in Washington. "We can't look for greatness in the past, right now our country needs a fresh start," he says in the clip. Mr Buttigieg is an Afghan war veteran and received a prestigious Rhodes scholarship in 2005 - following in the footsteps of other prominent figures like former President Bill Clinton.   AFP.