After record-breaking spending, Bloomberg drops out of the race
After spending a recordshattering sum, former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg ended his presidential bid Wednesday after a dismal showing in the Super Tuesday primaries left him no pathway to the Democratic nomination or the White House.
Bloomberg swiftly endorsed Joe Biden, the former vice president who pulled a stunning comeback Tuesday and surged into the lead in the nomination race. The two spoke on the phone early Wednesday.
“After yesterday’s results, the delegate math has become virtually impossible,” Bloomberg said in a statement. “And a viable path to the nomination no longer exists. But I remain clear eyed about my overriding objective — victory in November. Not for me but for our country.”
The billionaire spent a whopping $676 million as of Tuesday, or about 1% of his net worth, but won only American Samoa and its five delegates.
Biden thanked his former rival. “This race is bigger than candidates and bigger than politics. It’s about defeating Donald Trump, and with your help, we’re gonna do it,” Biden tweeted.
Bloomberg’s departure clears the way for fellow moderate Biden to go head-to-head against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-declared democratic socialist, in the remaining primaries, starting with Tuesday, when six more states will vote.
Bloomberg is expected to continue pouring his fortune into the campaign, and to swing his extensive field organization behind Biden, who has few field offices. Many of Bloomberg’s staffers have contracts through the fall election.
Bloomberg said Democrats must unite to defeat President Trump in November, and that after Biden’s sweep of nine states Tuesday he deserved to be the nominee.
“Joe has fought for working people his whole life. Today I am glad to endorse him — and I will work to make him the next President of the
United States,” he said.
Trump, who has mocked Bloomberg relentlessly since he entered the race, added another dig Wednesday.
“Mini Mike Bloomberg just ‘quit’ the race for President. I could have told him long ago that he didn’t have what it takes, and he would have saved himself a billion dollars, the real cost,” the president tweeted. “Now he will pour money into Sleepy Joe’s campaign, hoping to save face. It