Awaiting the top Democratic contenders in March is the billionaire former mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg. Though he is skipping the first four states, Mr. Bloomberg has already spent nearly $140 million of his fortune on television ads, according to the ad-tracking firm Advertising Analytics, mostly in the Super Tuesday states that will vote in early March and other states that will follow. The scope of Mr. Bloomberg’s spending is staggering: He has reserved more in TV ads, $37 million, in the first days of January than the fund-raising leader, Mr. Sanders, had collected in the final three months from more than 1.8 million contributions. “It defies history they will do so, but it’s what will be required. This can’t be a cycle where just because you can keep going on, you do.”Mr. Jeffries said it was crucial for the party to coalesce around whoever emerges, whenever it happens.

Source: New York Times January 03, 2020 00:21 UTC