Pete Buttigieg says he, unlike Trump, will uphold real Christian values in the White House

Pete Buttigieg, who has run a relatively overt religious campaign for a Democratic candidate, said Americans would no longer have to question whether Christian values guided policy decisions under his administration, according to the Washington Examiner.

Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, appeared to be contrasting himself with the Trump administration by focusing on a particular Christian value of kindness to those in need.

"I'm also offering to people who are guided by a faith tradition in making their decisions about what they think is right and wrong that when I'm president you'll never have to look at the White House and scratch your head and think, 'Whatever happened to, "I was hungry and you fed me. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Whatever you've done to the least of these, you have done to me"?'" Buttigieg said.

Buttigieg claims he will exemplify values of Jesus in White Houseyoutu.be

Buttigieg's campaign has highlighted a version of Christianity that focuses on charity toward the poor, or toward immigrants, and on love and acceptance of all people. At the same time, Buttigieg, who is in a same-sex marriage, has been critical of conservative Christians who oppose his views on marriage, sexuality, and abortion.

Buttigieg, like the other candidates in the Democratic field, does not view abortion as a moral issue that is addressed by Christianity; rather, abortion is an issue of women's health care and bodily autonomy. He has referred to a bill banning abortion at the detection of a fetal heartbeat as a "cruel attack on women's autonomy and freedom," revealing a belief that limiting abortion is worse from a Christian perspective than taking unborn life.

He has called Vice President Mike Pence "fanatical" for Pence's views on religious freedom and sexuality and has questioned the vice president's faith because he has supported President Donald Trump and his policies.

Still, Buttigieg's campaign is gaining momentum, with recent polls showing him as a top contender with likely voters in Iowa.