MILWAUKEE-- Former New York Mayor and current Democratic Presidential Candidate Michael Bloomberg stumped for votes Saturday night in Milwaukee as he opened his first campaign office in Wisconsin. It was his last stop on a three-city tour in battleground states that President Donald Trump won in 2016.
After joining the race just three and a half weeks ago, Bloomberg wanted to make sure Milwaukee was one of his first stops because he said he realizes the major role Wisconsin will play in the election.
He arrived in the city eager to spread his message.
“We’ve just got to pull everybody together,” Bloomberg said.
The former mayor claimed that he’s the person who can beat President Trump in the general election.
“I’m making an investment in replacing Donald Trump. It’s the best investment I could ever make,” Bloomberg said.
His investment in Wisconsin voters already includes spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in advertising after joining the race late. However, while Bloomberg won't be a part of some initial primaries, he’s expecting to still be strong come the vote in Wisconsin in April.
“I’m a fighter. Nobody’s ever thought I would quit anything,” Bloomberg said.
Bloomberg started his trip with a stop at the Milwaukee Public Market, where he shook hands with potential supporters, tried some cheese curds and picked up some beer. His visit came months after republicans and a number of democratic candidates visited Wisconsin.
“Our campaign is going to make Wisconsin a top priority, not starting in the spring or the summer but right now,” Bloomberg said.
The candidate said that he hopes to apply his achievements in New York to issues in Milwaukee.
“Education got a lot better in New York City. Murder rate got cut in half. Incarceration rate got cut in half,” Bloomberg said.
Mayor Tom Barrett also stopped by the candidate’s new campaign office, but he said he’s not formally endorsing a candidate before the Democratic National Convention.
“As the mayor of the city where the convention’s going to be, it’s important for me to be neutral leading up to the convention,” Barrett said.
Bloomberg said he’s committed to keeping his campaign headquarters open until November, so if he doesn’t end up being the nominee, he’s still going to work to make sure whoever is gets elected.
Anna Kelly, a spokesperson for Trump Victory - Wisconsin, released the following statement on Bloomberg’s visit:
“Michael Bloomberg believes he can buy his way into Wisconsin and push the same radical policy ideas that plagued New York City during his tenure as mayor. Bloomberg was not good for New York and certainly will not look out for the best interests of Wisconsinites.”
Bloomberg is currently sixth among democratic candidates in the latest Marquette University Law School Poll of people planning to vote in the Democratic presidential primary. He is in a tie with Senator Amy Klobuchar and Andrew Yang at three percent. Former Vice President Joe Biden is leading the poll, followed by Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
