Michael Bloomberg to Double Ad Spending After Iowa Caucus Debacle

Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg plans to double the amount he spends on advertising amid several problems with the Iowa caucus, an effort seen by many to lift his Democrat presidential bid.

Bloomberg spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on Tuesday:

After more than a year of this primary, the field is as unsettled as ever. No one has made the sale or even come close to it. Meanwhile, Mike is taking the fight to Trump every day, doubling down on the national campaign strategy we’ve been running from the beginning.

While an exact dollar figure was not given, Bloomberg has already spent $300 million on TV, radio, and digital advertising, according to Advertising Analytics, an ad tracking firm. As of recently, Bloomberg’s poll numbers have increased, but not enough to compete with Democrat frontrunners including former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

In addition to an increase in ad spending, the Bloomberg campaign announced that it will double its number of staff, bringing the total number to 2,000 people.

Earlier this week, Bloomberg attempted to slam President Donald Trump by releasing an ad that featured Obama-era footage of caged migrants. He also trashed Sanders on Monday night, claiming the Independent Vermont senator was “so far to the left it’s not practical.”