Bloomberg presidential campaign reports $409 million in total spending
so far
Send a link to a friend
[February 21, 2020]
By Jason Lange
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic
presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg's campaign spent $409 million
through January, with most of the money funding a TV advertising blitz,
according to campaign disclosures filed on Thursday.
The spending, reported in a disclosure filed with the Federal Election
Commission, showed outlays at historic levels for the early stages of
the nomination contest to take on Republican President Donald Trump in
the November election.
The campaign spent about $221 million in January alone.
Bloomberg, a billionaire former mayor of New York who is self-financing
his campaign, received a withering assault from other Democratic
candidates at a debate on Wednesday, including accusations he is trying
to buy the election.
Bloomberg contends his money will help defeat Trump. He has offered to
spend from his personal fortune to help Democrats win the election even
if he is not the eventual candidate.
After only entering the contest in November, he has been rising in
public opinion polls despite not competing in early nomination contests,
hoping instead to start winning delegates when 14 states hold contests
on March 3.
At the same time, Bloomberg faces increasing scrutiny over past comments
perceived as sexist and his past support of policies seen as racially
discriminatory. He has apologized for a policing policy he employed as
mayor of America's largest city that ensnared blacks and Latinos
disproportionately. He has also said he regretted telling "bawdy" jokes.
[to top of second column]
|
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg speaks during a
campaign event at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, U.S. February 12, 2020. REUTERS/Doug Strickland
Bloomberg's campaign spent $126.5 million on television advertising
alone in January, and another $45.5 million on digital advertising.
That brought total ad spending by his campaign so far to $312
million, according to figures released by the campaign.
Bloomberg is worth an estimated $60 billion and his campaign could
report even higher spending in the future. On Feb. 4, a day after
the Iowa nomination contest in which rival candidate Joe Biden
performed poorly, Bloomberg said he would immediately double
spending on his already massive national TV ad campaign.
(Reporting by Jason Lange; Editing by Chris Reese and Tom Brown)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|