On Tuesday, March 3, the tycoon will be tested for the first time on the ballots of 14 states.
There are only three days left for the Mike Rubens Bloomberg fire test and see if the former mayor of New York can project himself as a possible nominee of the Democratic Party to face President Donald Trump in November.
Although the billionaire, politician and philanthropist was the last to enter the contest – in November 2019 – he is currently in a position of advantage over other candidates, his supporters say.
Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor number 41 of Los Angeles and current national co-president of the Bloomberg campaign, said in an interview with La Opinión that he supports the magnate because he has been able to verify the effectiveness of his work when both were mayors. Bloomberg in New York, from 2002 to 2013 and Villaraigosa in Los Angeles from 2005 to 2013.
"(Bloomberg) came to me as mayor in 2005 … and almost immediately we started working together," Villaraigosa said. "I am with him because I know him very well and he has met in New York, a city that is the largest in the United States."
Villaraigosa said that between the two they started an organization called "Mayors against weapons" and faced violence.
“In New York Under violence by 32%, homicides were reduced by half. In Los Angeles, violence fell 45% and homicides 45%, ”said the former mayor of Los Angeles.
Villaraigosa said that, in New York, Bloomberg increased the number of people with health insurance to more than one million, created 500,000 jobs and built more than 175,000 affordable homes.
"In New York and Los Angeles we work facing climate change, affordable housing, medical insurance … In education the graduation level rose to more than 40%," Villaraigosa added.
Meanwhile, Cruz Bustamante, deputy governor of California from 1999 to 2007, said he currently supports Bloomberg over all other candidates because Bloomberg "has established himself as a maker."
Bustamante believes that Trump is doing a "terrible job" as president and has affected many, but especially immigrant families.
“There are many issues on which we disagree (with Trump). But the separation of families, the retention of children and the deaths that have occurred as a result of that separation is excessive, ”Bustamante said.
"He has a strong will, is open to all citizens and residents of this country, comes from a state and a city that is highly oriented to immigrants," Bustamante said. “I believe that Bloomberg will be in a position to help working families, rebuild communities as well as the country.
Erasing the bad image
Since Bloomberg ran for president, there have been countless accusations that include sexual harassment of women, their opposition to the minimum wage, prisoners making calls for support for their campaign, the "Stop and Frisk" program (stop and register) that I had in New York, where communities of color were highly affected, among others.
Bustamante said that we have all said or done things we regret and Bloomberg is no exception.
"I've been in politics for 30 years and there are times when I wish I could go back and do or redo something," Bustamante said.
As for the serious accusations of the stop and frisk program, Bustamante said that Bloomberg was very aware of what had happened and had already apologized for the effects that he had on Latin American and African-American communities, mainly.
"I think he has really rethought that issue, he has apologized for the excesses that took place," Bustamante said. "And I think a repentant soul will always have those worries in his mind, as he goes along, to help those communities."
As for the minimum salary of $ 15 an hour nationwide, Bloomberg has in the past been against it, but Villaraigosa stressed that no, that the candidate now supports the minimum wage.
“He understands that we have to raise the minimum salary and is dedicated to growing in his‘ Greenwood Project ’, to dramatically grow by more than one million African-American and Latino companies,” said Villaraigosa. "He has been dedicated to the working class, the poor, the immigrant."
Both Villaraigosa and Bustamante said the billionaire candidate has proposed several important programs, related to the development of the workforce, housing, medical care and education that benefits communities of color.
Until today Bloomberg has not participated in any of the contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and will not be in South Carolina; however, if he will participate in the ballot on March 3, in the so-called "Super Tuesday".
Tuesday will be the first electoral test to see if the more than $ 450 million that the tycoon has spent on advertising, meet the motto of his campaign: "Mike can do it."
