A sideshow no more: Michael Bloomberg's fast ascent unnerves rivals

[RandySF]

While the other Democratic hopefuls knock one another in the snows of Iowa and New Hampshire, Bloomberg has the rest of America largely to himself.

Fueled by a bottomless bank account, an advertising blitz of unprecedented size and scope and armies of organizers in vast regions other candidates don’t have the resources to staff, the Bloomberg presidential campaign is taking off in unlikely places — like West Texas.

His recent rise in polls — he’s surpassed former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and New York businessman Andrew Yang in polling averages nationwide — and his focus on amassing a big advantage when California, Texas and other big, delegate-rich states vote on “Super Tuesday,” March 3, is turning political forecasting on its head and unnerving rivals.

“I struggle with how to answer where this is going,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, a University of Virginia publication that tracks campaigns. “It is different than anything we have seen before.” As other candidates swarm Iowa on caucus day Monday, Bloomberg will have California all to himself for a campaign blitz, touching down in Sacramento, Fresno and Compton.


https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-31/bloombergs-campaign-rapid-ascent

[redqueen]

1. Reporters have claimed that other campaigns pressed the DNC to get him onstage

One report mentioned the Warren campaign by name.

Makes sense - it's not hard to imagine his support being negatively affected afterward.