Bloomberg faces first big test of White House campaign bid
MULTI-BILLIONAIRE Mike Bloomberg will tackle the greatest test of his presidential campaign when he faces five Democratic rivals in a debate that could fundamentally change the party’s election nomination fight.
The debate debut for the former mayor of New York is poised to offer fresh insight into the sustainability of his unconventional campaign strategy, bypassing early voting states such as Nevada and spending hundreds of millions of dollars to spread his message on the airwaves.
It comes at a pivotal point in the campaign as moderate voters are struggling to unify, with some increasingly looking to Mr Bloomberg to become the clear alternative to progressive Bernie Sanders.
All participants expect a hostile reception for Mr Bloomberg, who formally registered as a Democrat in 2018 and has faced relatively little national scrutiny so far in his surprisingly swift rise from a non-partisan major donor to a top-tier presidential contender.
“He is going to have a giant target on his back from all sides,” said Democratic strategist Brian
Brokaw.
“It’ll either all come together brilliantly or could fall apart very quickly. The stakes are just incredibly high for him.”
Voters will not formally judge Mr Bloomberg’s performance until next month. He is not technically competing in Nevada’s Saturday caucuses or any of the four primary contests scheduled for this month, preferring to invest his time and resources in the delegate-rich states that begin voting in March.
In the modern era, such a strategy has never worked. Yet it’s never been attempted by someone as wealthy as Mr Bloomberg, who has already invested more than $400 million into a national advertising campaign and hired more than 2,000 campaign staffers.
After more than a year of campaigning there is little clarity in the search for a nominee to run against President Donald Trump in November.
Establishment favourite Joe Biden, a former two-term vice president, is fighting to breathe life into his flailing campaign.
Mr Sanders, a Vermont senator, has emerged as the progressive wing’s clear preference after two contests as Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren struggles to boost her campaign.