Bloomberg rolls out $40M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Friday rolled out a new $40 million ad buy in Florida as Democrats look to bolster Joe Biden’s chances of winning the Sunshine State. 

The new ad blitz is the first to be announced from Bloomberg since he pledged to spend $100 million in Florida, the biggest swing state in the nation and a place that is considered a virtual must-win for President Trump this November. 

The gargantuan buy, which is being funded through the Bloomberg-backed Independence USA PAC, also comes as early voting begins in Florida.

“This fall, the path to the presidency goes through Florida – and with mail-in ballots going out this week, voters will soon start deciding who gets its 29 electoral votes,” said Bloomberg.“That’s why we’re doing everything in our power to tell the story of Donald Trump’s failed presidency and why we need Joe Biden as the next president of the United States.

“The more that voters in Florida get engaged, the more likely Biden is to win – and we’re going to work to make sure that happens,” he added.

Independence USA PAC said the ads will focus on an array of “key issues facing Floridians every day,” including the White House’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, Republicans’ efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and Biden’s economic plan. The ads will air daily for five weeks in all 10 of the state’s media markets starting Tuesday, the day of the first presidential debate. 

Bloomberg has made strengthening the former vice president’s chances in Florida a top priority. The former mayor earlier this week also said he was spending $16 million to help a group of former inmates pay off their outstanding court debts, a hurdle they must overcome before their voting rights are restored under Florida law.

He’s also supported a $13.4 million ad buy in the state with Priorities USA Action and Latino Victory Fund, in both Spanish and English. 

Florida is set to be a chief battleground in the presidential election this cycle after voting for Trump over Hillary Clinton by just 113,000 votes in 2016. The RealClearPolitics polling average of the state shows Biden up 1.3 points over Trump.