If you think Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney is voting for Mayor Pete Buttigieg just because they're both gay, you're dead wrong -- instead, Maloney's sticking with Beto O'Rourke.
We got Rep. Maloney Tuesday afternoon on Capitol Hill, and got his take on the Democratic mayor outta South Bend, Indiana ... who is making waves even before officially announcing he's running for Prez in 2020.
SPM showers Mayor Pete with tons of props, but shuns the notion he, or anyone else, should vote for a candidate just because they have similar backgrounds. We also asked Maloney -- who became NY's first openly gay Congressman in 2012 -- if he thinks the country is ready for a gay president, and he has strong feelings about that.
But, mostly ... the Congressman hammered home why he's throwing his support behind Beto. Point being ... just because a candidate's gay doesn't mean he'll automatically get the gay community's vote.
OG 'Queer Eye' cast member Carson Kressley seconds that emotion.
Also, guess how many times Maloney says Beto's name in this clip. He's in mid-campaign form already!