Pete Buttigieg’s Iowa surge could be the start of a new chapter of hope in the US presidential race

Given that his native rust belt will be the decisive battleground as well as the revival for centrism, he may be the right guy at the right time to take down the tangerine kraken

Something very peculiar and equally wonderful seems to be growing in the United States.

It is no more than a tiny seed. It may not flower into Pete Buttigieg being the Democrat nominee for the White House, let alone being inaugurated, the day after his 39th birthday, as the youngest ever president.

But if it did, breaking 40 wouldn’t be the only or toughest glass ceiling he smashes. According to the latest polling from Iowa, the first state to choose its Democratic contender on 3 February, a gay man leads the field by a wide margin.