- Bloomberg Joins 2020 Presidential Race
Michael Bloomberg, one of the world’s richest persons and founder of the popular business/analytic platform, bloomberg.com, on Sunday announced that he would run for the 2020 Presidential election in an already competitive race.
Bloomberg, 77, was a Republican before joining Democrat in a move to unseat President Trump, who according to him, “represents an existential threat to our country and our values.”
“Defeating Donald Trump — and rebuilding America — is the most urgent and important fight of our lives. And I’m going all in,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “I offer myself as a doer and a problem solver — not a talker. And someone who is ready to take on the tough fights — and win.”
The former Mayor of New York with a net worth of $54 billion has already reserved $35 million for television commercials to outline his biography and communicate his political agenda to the American people.
Mr. Bloomberg, who described himself as a surprise contender and “new choice for Democrats”, has started facing criticism as Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has already accused him of trying to buy votes with his wealth.
He said “trying to buy an election” with his onslaught of television commercials, and on Sunday in Hillsborough, N.H., Sanders said, “Multibillionaires like Mr. Bloomberg are not going to get very far in this election.”
In response, Bloomberg’s first television commercial described him as a self-made executive — “a middle-class kid who made good” — and his political advocacy on core Democratic concerns like gun control and climate change, as well as on economic development and public health issues like smoking. Those issues, his advisers say, will all be central to his candidacy.
Gov Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island said after a brief conversation with Mr. Bloomber, she saw him as a strong contender despite joining the race late.
She admitted that the billionaire would struggle during the primary but said he would be a strong candidate in the general election, especially with his business success, one Trump built his credentials around.
“Trump’s a fraud. He’s a business failure. His economic policies have failed,” Ms. Raimondo said. “He’s bad for America, and I think Bloomberg can go toe-to-toe with him on that score, and he should.”
