2020 Democratic Primary Thread: Focus on House & Senate races
- Thread starter mc_brew
- Start date
Bloomberg gives $2 million to boost black voter registration efforts
Less than a week after leaving the presidential race, former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg gave an additional $2 million to register 500,000 black voters before the November election.
The donation announced Monday, which follows $15 million voter registration commitment he made last year, will go to Collective Future, a nonprofit arm of the Collective, a political action committee that supports black candidates nationwide.
The money will be spent to hire more than 30 field organizers and 96 “field fellows” through local community organizations in eight states, including the presidential swing states of Florida, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina, said Collective President Quentin James. The program will also register voters in South Carolina, Texas, Georgia and Alabama.
“Some people may still have issues around his record as mayor or whatever the issue is, but for us this is bigger than some of the personal opinions,” James said Monday. “This is about power in our community. And unfortunately we have been stripped of that.”
The billionaires who self-funded their 2020 runs | Campaign Money
The Post's Michelle Ye Hee Lee explains how billionaires like Mike Bloomberg and Tom Steyer changed the game as Democratic presidential candidates in 2020. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post)
Bloomberg previously announced a $5 million contribution to a voter protection initiative run by former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D). He is also setting up a new independent political organization to absorb his campaign staff in six swing states, so they can support Democrats in the general election. That group will probably serve as a vehicle for advertising to support Democrats this year.
“Voter suppression efforts across the country have been a barely disguised effort to keep Black Americans and other Democratic-leaning voters from the polls,” Bloomberg said in statement Monday. “I‘ve always believed we need to make it easier for all citizens to register and vote, not harder.”
James said the Bloomberg money would be focused on building partnerships with local organizations, like historically black colleges and black churches, to get more people to register. He praised Bloomberg for not taking any time off after announcing the end of his campaign Wednesday.
“I think what’s amazing is he hasn’t taken a beat,” James said. “He could have taken a week, he could have taken a couple of weeks off.”
Boonapalist
Superstar
I must not watch enough tv or something because I swear all I saw were Bloomberg ads every fukking commercial. But now I just saw Bernie and Biden ads practically back to back.
Bloomberg stopped spending on ads after Super Tuesday. Bernie put up new ads last week. Biden followed after.
Boonapalist
Superstar
I know Bloomberg stopped the ads but today was the first time I’ve seen a Bernie or Biden ad. It’s kinda funny. I was even being sent mail from Bloomberg’s campaign.
But anyways do you think Bernie and the people around him should’ve played up his pragmatism more instead of focusing on going against the “establishment” as much. Because Bernie as mayor wasn’t as dogmatic as his detractors claim him to be. And he couldn’t have been in the house or senate for as long he has if he was the ideologue he’s been portrayed to be.
Absolutely. Its one of the tragedies of this campaign. He doubled down on the 2016 strategy. He should have ran on his pragmatism. It is really unfortunate.
And especially after Nevada, he could have signaled out to get people to jump on the bandwagon. Just missed opportunity after missed opportunity.
This is why he needed to have seasoned political vets on his team who are ruthless.
Boonapalist
Superstar
Yep especially when everyone knew Biden was most likely going to run and it was probably going to come down between those two. It’s good to have younger people around you, but when your opponent’s inner circle is filled with Reagan era and New Democrats you should probably supplement your team with people with more experience.
Torrential
LWO
mastermind
Rest In Power Kobe
This is why Jesse should have endorsed before South Carolina.
Prince Akeem
Its not that deep breh....
If true this should be disqualifying. However, people are so ignorant about policy it will make no difference. Plus the media are full of the these establishment type