Poll showing earns Bloomberg debate spot

Billionaire Mike Bloomberg has qualified for the upcoming Democratic presidential debate.

By spending more than $400 million of his own money and skipping the early primary states, Bloomberg has gained double-digit support in enough national polls to qualify for tonight’s Nevada debate.

But as Bloomberg’s support has risen, so has the criticism from his Democratic foes as well as the broader scrutiny of his past comments and record as New York City mayor. He faces his rivals onstage for the first time.

“It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts tweeted Tuesday, “but at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire.”

It will be the first time he’s debated in over a decade. And it’s the first time in this campaign that Bloomberg will have to answer before a national audience for insensitive comments on race and gender that he’s made in the past.

Mark Green, the former New York City public advocate who ran against Bloomberg for mayor in 2001, says that could be tough. “His insulting, wise-guyish comments on race and women and justice will not be easy to parry if the moderator or rival frames the questions correctly,” he said.

A new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll published Tuesday showed Bloomberg with 19% support nationally in the Democratic nominating contest.

Bloomberg, who opened his presidential campaign in November, will appear in Las Vegas alongside former Vice President Joe Biden, Sens. Warren, Bernie Sanders and Amy Klobuchar and former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Fellow billionaire and philanthropist Tom Steyer is still hoping to qualify.

While Bloomberg is appearing on the debate stage in Nevada, he still is not participating in Saturday’s state caucus. He’s skipping the first four voting states — Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina — in favor of focusing on the many states that vote March 3, Super Tuesday.

“Mike is looking forward to joining the other Democratic candidates on stage and making the case for why he’s the best candidate to defeat Donald Trump and unite the country,” Bloomberg campaign manager Kevin Sheekey said in a statement.

Tim O’Brien, a senior adviser to the campaign, said the debate will be a chance to showcase Bloomberg’s focus and claims to deliver on key Democratic issues, like climate change and gun control.

“The debate’s a chance for us to make it clear that this is a deeply compassionate and principled man who isn’t just a rich guy on a vanity run,” O’Brien said.

Bloomberg’s aides say he’s eager to take on Sanders, and they’ve characterized the race for the presidency as a three-way contest — between Bloomberg, Sanders and President Donald Trump.

“I think you’re going to see us go toe to toe with Bernie Sanders on important issues,” O’Brien said.

The Democratic National Committee recently changed its rules for how a candidate qualifies for the debate, opening the door for Bloomberg to be on stage and drawing the ire of some candidates who dropped out of the race for failing to make earlier stages. The candidates were previously required to receive a certain number of campaign contributions to qualify, but Bloomberg, who is worth an estimated $60 billion, is not taking donations.