The Democratic Party is in shambles. It has been conflicted, fractured and polarized between the progressive and moderate wings of the party since the 2016 Democratic Primary season over Sander’s defeat, because of the Party’s establishment rigging the process in Hilary Clinton’s favor.
The progressive wing is now in control of the Democratic Party as evidenced by how it sanctioned Rep. Ilhan Omar for anti-Semitic comments; climate change; health care; gun control; and most significantly, impeachment.
The progressive wing has been emboldened by Sanders wins in Iowa and New Hampshire.
The moderates believe a progressive heading the Democratic ticket in November will result in a Trump re-election, even though many polls show otherwise.
The moderates choice of Biden, Buttigieg or Klobuchar appears to be fading in the wake of Bloomberg’s self-funding strategy of getting wealthy Democratic donors to join his Committee for Mike, not as donors, but as “influencers.”
Bloomberg is urging his check-writing influencers to donate to the Democratic National Committee, the progressive groups Swing Left and Galvanize, thus drying up campaign dollars that would otherwise go to Biden, Buttigieg or Klobuchar — while building legitimacy and support with the leadership of the Democratic Party in the likely event of a deadlocked Democratic Convention.
A strategy that worked in Bloomberg’s self-financed re-election campaign as Mayor in 2005, when he got the biggest Democratic Party donors on board as endorsers, thus wiping out financial support to his challengers.
Bloomberg skipped the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries, and will also pass on South Carolina and Nevada.
Bloomberg held his first public event in Arizona, a swing state, and is focusing his efforts on Super Tuesday, March 3, when 14 states vote and 40 percent of the Democratic delegates are chosen.
A progressive Democratic presidential candidate with fund raising staying power like Sanders, will get out his Democratic base to vote for the party. The question is will that vote be enough to win the election?
Moderate Democrats, Independents and disillusioned Trump Republicans will in all probability not vote, or vote for Trump. On the other hand, these same voters will come out and vote for a Bloomberg.
The latest polls have Bloomberg at 7 percent support among Democrats, putting him in fifth place.
Bloomberg is getting key endorsements across the country from governors, mayors and other elected officials — Democrats and Republicans.
Let’s not forget he ran and won the mayor’s race in New York as a Republican and can make inroads with Republican voters.
A first significant high-profile Republican defection and endorsement for Bloomberg came from Richard V. Spencer, the Navy Secretary fired by Trump who had never before voted for a Democrat. His support boosts Bloomberg’s argument that as a successful self-made billionaire businessman, he is uniquely qualified to take on and beat Trump.
The shambolic Democratic party division, debates, primaries and convention will determine if the now dominant progressive wing of the Party will continue its run against Trump or if the moderate-establishment wing will nominate Bloomberg to take on his fellow New Yorker — for the Battle of Billionaires — in poor America .