Rhode Island governor backs Michael Bloomberg for president

By MICHELLE R. SMITH
February 5, 2020

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Billionaire presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg snagged his first endorsement from a governor on Wednesday, as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo called him the right leader to take on President Donald Trump.

Raimondo, a longtime political ally of Bloomberg’s, was due to appear with him at a morning event in Providence to officially endorse him, the Bloomberg campaign told The Associated Press. Raimondo will also act as a national campaign co-chair.

“Mike is a problem-solver with a long track record of delivering results, and I’m proud to stand with him today,” Raimondo said in a written statement provided by the campaign. “From fighting gun violence, to addressing climate change, to combating the opioid crisis and more, Mike understands the issues that impact our lives every day. We cannot risk another four years of President Trump’s destructive policies, and I know that Mike is the right leader to take him on.”

Raimondo was among the prominent Democrats to whom Bloomberg’s team reached out before the news broke in November that he was considering a 2020 White House run. At the time, she was head of the Democratic Governors Association and held back from endorsing him, but she praised his record and called him a friend.

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