Democrat Michael Bloomberg Campaigns In Raleigh

WUNC | By Liz Schlemmer

Published January 3, 2020 at 6:01 PM EST

Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg campaigned in North Carolina on January 3, 2020.

Having declared his candidacy in November, Democratic presidential hopeful and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg campaigned in North Carolina today. He spoke in Raleigh and Fayetteville, where he is opening field offices.

In Raleigh, he said he chose the location of his office based on its proximity to a local pizzeria, Poole'side Pies.

"If your New Year's resolution was to eat less pizza and more barbecue then you're in the wrong place, but if your resolution was to defeat Donald Trump and get our country back on track then you are in the right place," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg said he is making the state of North Carolina a top priority.

The spokeswoman for Bloomberg's campaign in North Carolina said that as a latecomer to the presidential race, he's focused on delegate-rich southern states. North Carolina offers the third largest number of Democratic delegates of any state voting on Super Tuesday, March 3rd, and is likely to be a key battleground in the general election.

Voter Brian Fitzsimmons came to the event because he's interested in Bloomberg. He says he feels like things are changing with the election every day.

"2020 is going to be a pretty big year," Fitzsimmons said. "And so it behooves us as voters to make sure that we get a glimpse of every candidate out there, and that we hear from everyone on the ballot."

Voter Madhavi Krevat of Apex is also undecided.

"I'm still open," Krevat said. "One of my favorites is Elizabeth Warren, but when Mike stepped into the ring, you know I've got great respect for him."

Bloomberg got a big cheer from the Raleigh crowd when he mentioned how he'd raised teacher pay in New York, and Krevat says she likes his stance on gun regulations.

In High Point University's latest poll of Democratic primary voters in North Carolina, about a third favored Joe Biden, who's campaigned with a similar message of moderate electability. But that poll was taken before Bloomberg entered the race.