Bloomberg to fund sizable campaign effort through November even if he loses Democratic nomination

WASHINGTON — Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s massive campaign apparatus and an army of some 500 staffers will march on through the general election in November even if he loses the Democratic nomination, campaign officials tell NBC News, shifting their efforts toward working to elect whoever the party selects to face President Donald Trump.

Bloomberg’s vast tech operation will also be redirected to help the eventual nominee, as Democrats struggle to compete with the vaunted digital operation built by Trump campaign manager Brad Parscale. Hawkfish, a digital company started by Bloomberg that’s carrying out his $100 million online ad campaign, will be retained through Election Day to help defeat President Donald Trump, the officials said.

Awaiting another nominee would be a shadow field operation across the country that’s currently unparalleled in size by any of the other candidates in the presidential race. The roughly 500 staff Bloomberg has committed to paying through November include those in battleground states like Florida, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as in Arizona.

“Mike Bloomberg is either going to be the nominee or the most important person supporting the Democratic nominee for president,” said Kevin Sheekey, Bloomberg’s campaign manager. “He is dedicated to getting Trump out of the White House.”

The unusual move illustrates how Bloomberg, who made a late entrance into the race in November, is working to cast himself as a team player for Democrats who’s more interested in seeing Trump defeated than his own White House ambitions. Since he entered, Bloomberg’s campaign has worked to allay concerns that he could be a spoiler in the race by helping tip the nomination toward a less electable candidate.


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/bloomberg-fund-sizable-campaign-effort-through-november-even-if-he-n1113421