Openly gay Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg seems to be everywhere these days. He has a smart, funny bestselling book, Shortest Way Home: One Mayor’s Challange And A Model For America’s Future. He did a CNN Town Hall on Monday night after a week where he was a guest on Ellen, Late Night With Seth Meyers and Real Time With Bill Maher. Buttigieg must like California (who doesn’t?) because he is returning for a series of appearances: two events in San Diego on May 8, three in Los Angeles on May 9, and six events in San Francisco on May 10, according to sources at the Hollywood Reporter.
Earlier this month, Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, met with insiders and potential supporters at a series of small gatherings in Southern California. He formally announced his bid for the White House on April 14.
The idea of a gay POTUS has brought together a coalition of some of Hollywood’s most powerful LGBTQ studio execs, agents, actors, producers, and writers, who are willing to host soirees at their sumptuous homes in support of the candidacy of 37-year-old Buttigieg.
Buttigieg’s biggest high-profile industry fundraiser will be held June 19 in Los Angeles at the home of producer Ryan Murphy (Pose) and his husband, photographer David Miller. Murphy and Miller married in July 2012. They have two young kids.
Murphy began his career, working for The Miami Herald, Los Angeles Times, and the New York Daily News, before becoming a major screenwriter, director, and producer. Murphy is the co-creating producer behind the famous FX series Nip/Tuck and American Horror Story, and Glee on Fox. He directed the HBO film version of Larry Kramer‘s great play The Normal Heart. Murphy is also a big supporter of the Foundation for AIDS Research. Murphy has a bunch of dough.
The Murphy-Millers are acquaintances with some of Hollywood’s most potent gay power players and couples. For their Buttigieg party, the co-hosts will be handsome Matt Bomer and his tall publicist husband Simon Halls; CAA partner Bryan Lourd (father of Billie Lourd) and his impossibly good-looking husband Bruce Bozzi, heir to the Palm Steakhouse empire; boyish Golden Globe nominated writer, producer, and film director Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon) and his professional soccer player husband Robbie Rogers; former People Magazine editor, silver fox Jess Cagle and his producer husband Matt Whitney (White Collar); and cutie-pie actor Billy Eichner.
Buttigieg has received donations from other Hollywood notables, including Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Whitford, Mandy Moore, Jane Lynch, The L Word creator Ilene Chaiken and billionaire media mogul James Murdoch, the youngest son of Fox News founder Rupert Murdoch.
In recent weeks, Buttigieg has been surging in the polls. In a new poll on Monday, Buttigieg came in third among likely Iowa voters behind Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders.
Murphy and Miller also opened their home on April 12, when they hosted an event for California Senator Kamala Harris.
