With only a week
before the first votes in the 2016 presidential race, Republican candidates touted endorsements and Democrats considered New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s next move.
WASHINGTON — With only a week to go before the first votes of the 2016 presidential race, Republicans on Sunday publicized endorsements from others.
Democrats, who could be hurt most if former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg decided to launch a third-party candidacy, didn’t shrug off the prospect.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is surging against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in early states, urged Bloomberg to “bring it on.”
Clinton acknowledged that Bloomberg had gotten her attention — but suggested the threat could be irrelevant.
“The way I read what he said is if I didn’t get the nomination, he might consider (running),” she said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “Well, I’m going to relieve him of that and get the nomination so he doesn’t have to (run).”
Iowans will vote in the country’s leadoff contest on Feb. 1.
The comments came as Republicans chose sides among their candidates and as billionaire businessman Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz battled for primacy in Iowa. Slowly, establishment Republicans were heading in Trump’s direction largely because he’s not the combative Cruz.
And Cruz was showing off his marquee endorsement from Rep. Steve King, who is influential with the most conservative Iowans.
Trump on Sunday dropped another name as he played defense against charges that he has only been a conservative for a few years.
“I am a conservative,” Trump, endorsed this week by 2008 vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, said on NBC. “And what I say to people is this: Ronald Reagan. He was a somewhat liberal Democrat, and over the years, he evolved and he became fairly conservative. Not overly, a fairly conservative Republican.”
A televised spat ensued over who’s a conservative.
“Donald Trump is not a conservative, and you need a conservative to lead the conservative party into the general election,” two-time Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said on ABC’s “This Week, touting his endorsement by former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole.
Cruz, meanwhile, said Trump has not been conservative for long and pointed out that Trump supported social causes like gay rights at some point in his life.
“They are not Iowa values,” Cruz said on Fox News’ “Media Buzz.”
Clinton has been endorsed by several members of President Barack Obama’s Cabinet. Obama has said he will not endorse a candidate during the primary.
Campaigning in eastern Iowa, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida touted a scheduled joint appearance with Iowa’s popular Republican freshman Sen. Joni Ernst Monday. Ernst, elected in 2014, is among several younger, newer members of Congress joining Rubio on the road — though Ernst says she will not endorse anyone before the caucuses.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio also weighed in on the election, saying Trump’s comment at a rally on Saturday that he could “shoot somebody” on the city’s famous Fifth Avenue and not lose support was inappropriate at a time when lawmakers are trying to “deal with the scourge of gun violence.” Describing the comments as arrogant, de Blasio cited them as proof that Trump is unfit for the presidency because he’s “not ready for prime time.”
De Blasio also says he respects his predecessor, Michael Bloomberg, but Americans aren’t interested in a race between billionaires Bloomberg and Trump.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie returned to the presidential campaign Sunday, touting his handling of the massive snow storm that socked his state over the weekend.
“There are some candidates in this race who try to tell you it doesn’t matter what you’ve done before. It does matter,” said Christie at a town hall in Portsmouth, N.H.