Bloomberg Vows to Stay in Primary Race to the 'Bitter End'
When it comes to the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is in it for the long run.
In an interview with NBC News on Thursday, Bloomberg was asked if he would stay in the race through the convention.
“As long as you have a chance of winning, absolutely. Why would I spend all of this money, all of this time out of my life, and wear and tear, you know,” Bloomberg said, adding, “But yeah sure, I love it, I am going to stay right to the bitter end, as long as I have a chance.”
Additionally, Bloomberg said that if Sen. Bernie Sanders (Vt.) secured a majority of the delegates, he would drop out. However, if Sanders only received a plurality, he would stay in the race through the convention.
“I mean, if it was one vote away from a majority, then you’d have to start thinking about it. But yeah, if it’s just a plurality, you got to be in it to win it.”
Watch the interview below:
Bloomberg, who is polling in third-place nationally, has yet to see if his strategy of skipping early the primaries and focusing his time and money on Super Tuesday states will pay off in actual votes.
His comments come as several Democratic candidates are facing pressure to drop out of the race so voters can rally behind a moderate alternative to Sanders and stop him from winning the nomination.
Former Vice President Joe Biden (D) said this week that candidates should think about suspending their campaigns if they fail to win over African American votes in South Carolina — which holds its primary on February 29.
While other candidates rely on donors to fill their campaign war chests, Bloomberg has tapped his personal fortune to fund his campaign, meaning he can continue on without fretting about financial constraints if he fails to win states.
Since he entered the race, Bloomberg has dropped almost half a billion dollars in political advertisements hoping to boost his campaign after a late entrance into the race.
March 3, when 14 states hold their primaries, will be the first time Bloomberg’s name appears on the ballot in the race and the first test of his strategy.
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