Bloomberg

In 2014, Michael Bloomberg spent nearly $3 million helping Republican Gov. Rick Snyder defeat his Democratic opponent, then-Congressman Mark Schauer of Battle Creek.

At the time, the Schauer campaign denounced Snyder for relying on a “New York billionaire” to finance his re-election campaign. Now, Schauer has enthusiastically endorsed Bloomberg’s presidential run and praised the former Republican for flooding Michigan with $7 million in campaign advertising – a move that he said is a “game changer” for the Democratic Party’s bid to oust President Donald Trump.

Schauer

“The Bloomberg campaign is playing chess while a lot of campaigns are playing checkers,” said Schauer, who has already cast his absentee ballot for the former mayor.

Bloomberg’s millions funded to Snyder through a PAC helped the incumbent governor defeat Schauer by 4 percentage points in a tight race. But the former congressman said he’s “moved on” from the defeat and has never talked with Bloomberg about the 2014 race, according to MLive.

“I’m supporting the person that not only has a long track record of supporting Democratic values, but gives us the best chance of beating Donald Trump,” Schauer said. “It’s really that simple. I am not looking back, I’m looking forward.”

Schauer, a former state House and Senate member, said he admires the way that Bloomberg has taken on taken on the National Rifle Association and big tobacco and advocates for solutions to climate change.

While many Democratic loyalists complain that Bloomberg is trying to buy the nomination, spending nearly $500 million of his own money already on advertising and campaign organizing nationwide, he has established a massive campaign team that has easily outpaced the other Democratic primary frontrunners.

The multi-billionaire has reportedly hired nearly 100 paid staff in Michigan and has opened eight campaign offices across the state. He plans to add two more this month.

In response, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced Tuesday that he is opening field offices in Grand Rapids, Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Flint and Detroit this week.

With less than three weeks to go before the primary he is playing catch-up as he last appeared in the state at a Detroit rally in October 2019 while Bloomberg attended the opening of a campaign office in Detroit last December and addressed a large crowd at Detroit’s Eastern Market earlier this month.

Most of the other top contenders – former South Bend Mayor Pete Butigieg, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Amy Klobuchar, and former Vice President Joe Biden – have relied on a low budget approach with campaign volunteers orchestrating door-knocking, debate watch parties and phone banks.

Bloomberg and Sanders have each snagged several endorsements from prominent Michigan Democrats, but few of the state’s most valuable catches for the presidential candidates have come forward – Sens. Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow, Attorney General Dana Nessel, Secretary of State Jocelyn Bensons, members of Congress, numerous state House and Senate Dems, mayors and top county officials. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that she will stay out of the primary election.