On Saturday, September 19, Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, will keynote the Texas Democratic Party’s 12th Annual Johnson-Jordan Dinner in Dallas. The event will be held at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas DFW Airport South (4650 W Airport Fwy, Irving, TX 75062).

Buttigieg was elected mayor of South Bend in 2011 at age 29. At the time he was the youngest mayor of a U.S. city over 100,000 residents. During his tenure, the city saw economic revitalization and population growth. In 2020, Buttigieg ran for the Democratic presidential nomination, winning the Iowa caucuses and finishing second in New Hampshire and became the first openly-gay candidate to win delegates in a major-party primary. He later endorsed Joe Biden.

From 2021 to 2025, he served as the 19th U.S. Secretary of Transportation. He oversaw implementation of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (funding tens of thousands of projects), adHe is widely viewed as a potential 2028 presidential contender among a short field of Democratic frontrunners with national name recognisition.

 

(Gary Riggs / Wikipedia CC BY SA 4.0)

Held typically in the fall in rotating locations such as Austin, Houston, or the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the event brings together elected officials, candidates, activists, and donors from across the state. It features keynote addresses by prominent national and state Democrats, recognition of party leaders, and opportunities for networking.

Past speakers have included Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, and others; the 2025 dinner in Houston featured U.S. Reps. Jasmine Crockett and Jamie Raskin, while the 12th annual event is scheduled for September 2026 in DFW with Buttigieg as keynote.

Proceeds support the party’s organizing, voter protection, direct voter contact, data infrastructure, and coordinated campaign efforts aimed at building Democratic strength in Texas. It serves as both a major fundraiser and a rallying point for the state’s Democratic leaders and activists.

Individual tickets start at $250 and are available on Sept. 7. More infomration can be found on the Texas Democrats website (texasdemocrats.org).