Bloomberg, at Fox News Town Hall, seeks spark as rivals drop out on eve of Super Tuesday
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Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is set to take the stage at a Fox News Town Hall in Manassas, Va., on the eve of Super Tuesday’s pivotal contests in 14 states and one U.S. territory — his first time on the ballot this primary season and a key test of his well-funded campaign’s resonance with voters across the country.
«Special Report» anchor Bret Baier and «The Story» anchor Martha MacCallum are hosting the Town Hall beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, amid new turmoil in the presidential contest. With rivals Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar now abruptly out, Joe Biden has consolidated support among establishment Democrats hoping to present a more centrist alternative to democratic socialist Bernie Sanders.
But Bloomberg has shown no signs of dropping out, regardless of what happens on Super Tuesday. His campaign released a schedule of public events for the rest of the week on Monday, and he assured cheering supporters, «I’m in it to win it.»
Speaking at a canvass kickoff in Manassas, Bloomberg told the crowd in reference to his past mayoral elections, “I’ve won three elections so far. I don’t plan to start losing now!” He has poured more than a half billion dollars into the Super Tuesday states.
KLOBUCHAR, BUTTIGIEG TO UNITE BEHIND BIDEN
He told the crowd that he had spoken to Buttigieg and Klobuchar, both of whom exited the race within the last 24 hours. He said that he “wished them all the best” and that both of them “behaved themselves” and “represented their country and their states very well.”
Bloomberg added: «I felt sorry for them, but I’m in it to win it, and we are going to go out and we’re going to go get ‘em.»
In this Feb. 3, 2020, file photo, Democratic presidential candidate former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg addresses supporters during a campaign stop in Sacramento, Calif. California election rules intended to increase participation make it likely that ballot-counting could continue for weeks in some cases, leaving the outcome to linger in close contests. Another unknown: untested Bloomberg, who has spent tens of millions of dollars in advertising in the state, is on the ballot for the first time on Super Tuesday, March 3, when California is among more than a dozen states with presidential contests. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
Buttigieg and Klobuchar are said to be planning to endorse Biden Monday night.
Other new Biden backers include Obama national security adviser Susan Rice; former Colorado Sen. Mark Udall; former California Sen. Barbara Boxer; Rep. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va.; Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White; former Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln; and Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Calif.
Former Nevada Sen. Harry Reid, for his part, remarked: “I believe Biden is best able to defeat Donald Trump and enact the policies we all care about.”
“It’s becoming increasingly clear that the candidates funded by big money and super PACs are coalescing behind Joe Biden, and that’s not a surprise,» Sanders’ senior strategist Jeff Weaver said. «I think it’ll add a lot of clarity to this race.”
But, despite his endorsements and win by a massive margin in South Carolina’s primary on Satuday, Biden remains vulnerable on a variety of fronts, including his repeated gaffes. On Monday, he slipped up twice during a rally — at one point, badly garbling the Declaration of Independence before giving up, and at another, saying «Super Thursday» was coming up.
And, although the Biden campaign reported back-to-back days of $5 million fundraising hauls following his South Carolina win, the former vice president has struggled to raise money more broadly.
In Silicon Valley, which dominated by the tech sector, many wealthy donors prioritize executing a data-driven plan — and Biden’s rocky campaign pushed many toward Buttigieg or Bloomberg in recent months, financiers say.
Biden’s team is waging a quiet campaign to win them over, yet many are taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We need to see what happens tomorrow, which is going to be very telling,» said Alex Sink, a Democratic donor and former Florida gubernatorial candidate who endorsed Bloomberg.
At Monday’s gaffe-riddled rally, Biden notably didn’t take any shots at Bloomberg and instead aimed his barbs at Sanders — in an apparent sign that Bloomberg isn’t viewed as a significant threat.
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In a dig at Sanders’ signature call to action, the former vice president said, «Most Americans don’t want a promised revolution. They want guaranteed results.»
Fox News’ Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
