Published 13:55 IST, November 22nd 2019
Michael Bloomberg files papers to enter 2020 presidential race
Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, officially filed federal papers on November 21 and declared himself a Democratic Candidate for President.
Michael Bloomberg, the former New York mayor, officially filed federal papers on November 21 and declared himself a Democratic Candidate for President. However, according to advisers, the filling was still not an official announcement or public signal that Bloomberg had made a final decision. The 77-year-old had said back in March he wouldn't run. Yet Bloomberg's advisor had told media that he had been toying about the idea of seeking White House. His team has also been moving swiftly over the past two weeks to rebuild a presidential campaign.
According to international media reports, Bloomberg will be spending approximately $115 million on ads and voter registration efforts. He will be targetting Trump in states such as Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania. His advisers are reportedly told to work without a budget or any outside fundraising efforts. Stephen Benjamin, who is the mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, and has been working with the team planning a potential campaign reportedly said that Bloomberg's campaign is going to be a unique campaign which will focus on grass-roots organising making sure people are on the ground engaging with voters and engaging with citizens, at the same time investing in paid media and an unprecedented digital strategy.
Democratic Party activist Christopher Hahn said that Mike Bloomberg was an excellent Mayor for the city of New York. He claimed that Bloomberg would shift the current 2020 Democratic presidential field's focus to issues important to the centre of the party and people across the country. Bloomberg would appeal to people who want to shake up everything but keep what Obama built and build upon that, he said. As the Democratic Party wants the middle road, Bloomberg is a choice candidate, he concluded.
Bloomberg thinks that Joe Biden is weak
Bloomberg is the 9th richest person in the United States and the 14th richest person in the world who ran the Big Apple from 2001 to 2013. The billionaire has switched between the Republican and Democratic parties over the years and also served as an independent mayor. Bloomberg thinks that Joe Biden is weak and Sanders and Warren can't win, said a person close to him to the media. He also feels that Warren and Sanders are too left-wing. Seventeen candidates are already in the presidential race and Bloomberg will make the 18th entry.
Updated 15:07 IST, November 22nd 2019