On Sunday, Nov. 24, Michael Bloomberg announced that he will be joining the 2020 presidential race. The former New York City Mayor made his announcement in a video, as well as a written statement on his campaign website.
In the statement, he describes himself as, “uniquely positioned to defeat President Donald Trump.” According to the Associated Press Bloomberg also states, “I’m running for president to defeat Donald Trump and rebuild America.”
Bloomberg has entered the crowded race just 10 weeks before primary voting begins, and his entry does not come without controversy. According to the New York Times, Bloomberg has lots of “political baggage,” including, “a complex array of business entanglements, a history of making demeaning comments about women and a record of championing law enforcement policies that disproportionately targeted black and Latino men with invasive searches.”
His own wealth may also cause tension within the field of democrats, as his over $50 billion net worth puts him into a tax bracket which Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders have stated they will increase taxes on.
Bloomberg’s entry into the race will also increase the number of moderates in the field. The former mayor joins Former Vice President Joe Biden and Mayor Pete Buttigieg, who are among the group’s more moderate-leaning candidates.
Bloomberg also intends on taking a more unconventional approach to his campaign, and will bypass earlier primary and caucus states such as Iowa and New Hampshire. According to NYT he will instead focus on states that have more delegates and therefore electoral college votes, including California and Texas.
Bloomberg made his first campaign stop in Northfolk, VA. on Nov. 25, where he boasted what he has done with his wealth in the past to help the democratic party, according to NYT.
