Top surrogates and allies of Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are discussing ways for their two camps to unite and push a common liberal agenda, with the expectation that Warren is likely to leave the presidential campaign soon.
The conversations, which are in an early phase, largely involve members of Congress who back Sanders (I-Vt.) reaching out to those in Warren’s camp to explore the prospect that Warren (D-Mass.) might endorse him.
They are also appealing to Warren’s supporters to switch their allegiance to Sanders.
Warren associates and the camp of former vice president Joe Biden also had talks about a potential endorsement if she drops out, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
The whirlwind of activity reflects the rapid changes in a Democratic primary that is still very much in transition.
As late as Tuesday, many Warren allies believed she would stay in the race until the Democratic convention, despite her poor showing to date in the primaries, in hopes of retaining her clout and influencing the eventual nominee.
But after Warren’s bleak performance in the Super Tuesday primaries, her associates, as well as those of Sanders and Biden, say she is now looking for the best way to step aside.
There is no certainty she will endorse Sanders or anyone else, but the talks reflect the growing pressure on the senator from Massachusetts to withdraw.
Mike Bloomberg announced today he was exiting the 2020 Democratic presidential race after spending a record amount of cash in that short time.
After focusing past the first four primary states, Bloomberg put more than $570 million into advertising across the country according to ad tracking by Kantar/Campaign Media analysis group.
At the time of his departure from the race the morning after Super Tuesday, he had amassed just 31 pledged delegates, meaning in total he had spent about $18 million per delegate earned.
At the same time, only about $237 million of that total ad spending has been on ads targeting Super Tuesday state voters who headed to the polls March 3.
The vast bulk of it had been spent in states that had not even voted by the time of his exit, including in Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio.
In Florida, Bloomberg spent nearly $48 million on ads.
He also doled out more than $17 million in Ohio.
Both battleground states hold presidential primaries on March 17.
In New York, Bloomberg’s home state, he spent more than $26 million.
In Pennsylvania, he spent $23 million. Neither state has voted yet — their primaries will be held on April 28, more than a month away.
He didn’t spend much in American Samoa, the only contest he won outright, just $904 on digital. In fact, the only state or territory where Bloomberg spent less was Wyoming.
By comparison, Joe Biden, who won the most states on Super Tuesday, spent just over $2 million in total on television, radio and digital advertisements in those 14 states.
In a statement confirming the end of his presidential bid, Bloomberg threw his full support behind Biden who has mounted an astonishing comeback since losing the first three contests of the election cycle, but celebrated a resounding victory in South Carolina less than four days ago in the South Carolina Democratic primary.
“I’ve always believed that defeating Donald Trump starts with uniting behind the candidate with the best shot to do it. After yesterday’s vote, it is clear that candidate is my friend and a great American, Joe Biden,” Bloomberg said in a statement.
He went on to say that he would work to make him president of the United States.