Democratic hopeful Pete Buttigieg said he didn’t intend to become the “gay president” when he launched his 2020 presidential campaign — but he understands the historical significance of his candidacy for the White House.

“I didn’t set out to be the gay president, but certainly seeing what this means is really meaningful and really powerful,” the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Buttigieg, who finished in a virtual first-place tie with Sen. Bernie Sanders in last week’s flawed Iowa caucuses, said “prejudice is still out there.”

“And you’ve got to deal with it. But I would not have been able to be re-elected the way I did in Mike Pence’s Indiana if people were not able to look past that,” he said. “Every time somebody seeks to break a barrier, pundits try to make it about electability.”

Buttigieg, 37 — who would be the first openly gay candidate to be elected president from either party if he wins — said a conversation with his husband, Chasten, after the Iowa vote put things in perspective for him.

“There’s not a lot of time for reflection on the campaign. But yeah, there was a moment before we went out when Chasten pulled me in and just reminded me what this means for some kid peeking around the closet door wondering if this country has a place for them,” Buttigieg said.

Host Chuck Todd asked him about a woman who was caught on a viral video asking for her vote back after learning that he was gay.

Buttigieg said he was “saddened that she sees things that way, but I’m running to be her president too.”

Buoyed by his strong finish in Iowa, Buttigieg is polling in second place behind Sanders in New Hampshire, which holds its primary on Tuesday, according to RealClear Politics polling averages.