Jacob Ogles
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg tapped another big city mayor as National Chair for his presidential campaign.
Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter will advise the operation on policy development and strategy, while also serving as a surrogate.
“Mike Bloomberg is my kind of leader,” said Nutter. “He cares about the drug crisis, gun violence, the environment, and access to high-quality healthcare for all Americans. But more than that — he’s proven he can get things done on these issues for decades — as an entrepreneur, mayor and through his philanthropic efforts. Mike is a man with a plan. He’s a doer. He won’t let us down.”
Nutter represents Bloomberg’s first major Pennsylvania endorsement, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Keystone State won’t hold its Democratic presidential primary until April 28, but much like Florida, it’s expected to be a battleground in the general election. Bloomberg will open his first campaign office in Philadelphia this weekend.
Bloomberg said it was important to have Nutter in such a key capacity.
“Mike Nutter knows that real leadership means delivering results for the people you serve, and I’m honored to have his support,” Bloomberg said.
“We share a belief in the power of government to unite people and get big things done. Mike was an innovative mayor who made one of America’s biggest cities stronger and safer, and I’ve always appreciated his candor and counsel. While all the other Democratic candidates are focused on other states, we are building a campaign that can win critical battleground states — including Pennsylvania — and we are excited to have Mike on our leadership team.”
The selection also shows Bloomberg’s interest in hearing from mayors. Nutter held Philadelphia’s top City Hall job from 2008 until 2016, and served 15 years City Council before that. He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2012 and 2013.
Bloomberg will also meet today with Chillicothe, Ohio Mayor Luke Feeney for a roundtable, where experts expect to discuss the opioid crisis.
Though some Democrats haven’t welcomed Bloomberg to the race with open arms, his experience as New York Mayor has earned him copious support in city halls across the country — last week, he told The New York Times that he had already secured endorsements from eight mayors who serve a combined 2.6 million Americans.
Since entering the race late last month, Bloomberg has quickly built up his campaign’s infrastructure with 200 personnel spread across 20 states.
He’s also launched a volley of ads to spread his message to Democratic voters. The effort has already seen him spend $57 million on TV ads and $24 million on digital ads, including the YouTube banner.
All of those funds have come from his own coffers. While that will preclude him from future Democratic debates, where candidates must meet individual donor thresholds, Bloomberg has stated he will not accept any outside campaign contributions, including small-dollar donations from individuals.
