Draft Bloomberg movement
| Company type | Political campaign |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Michael Bloomberg, Doug Bailey, Gerald Rafshoon, Mark Cuban, Scott Adams |
| Website | draftmichael |
The Draft Bloomberg movement is a political draft campaign initiated in the United States in 2007 with the goal of convincing New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to enter the 2008 presidential race as an independent candidate. The campaign ended on February 28, 2008, when Bloomberg publicly declared he would not pursue a presidential bid.[1]
The initiative was revived in late 2010 with the intent to encourage Bloomberg either to run for president or to spearhead the creation of a competitive third party ahead of the 2012 election.[2][3][4] Nearly a decade later, Bloomberg participated in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, securing victory only in American Samoa and failing to meet the 15% delegate threshold required for proportional allocation in major states.
Support from Independent Greens of Virginia
In January 2008, the Independent Greens of Virginia launched the initial statewide petition effort to place Michael Bloomberg on Virginia’s presidential ballot. The organization gathered and submitted more than the necessary signatures to the Virginia State Board of Elections ahead of the deadline, aiming to ensure his inclusion on the ballot. Despite this, Bloomberg’s name was ultimately removed at his request one day prior to the submission deadline.
Unity08 splinter group
There was speculation about drafting Bloomberg as a candidate under the Unity08 banner. On January 10, 2008, two co-founders of Unity08, Doug Bailey and Gerald Rafshoon, departed from the group and initiated a nationwide draft campaign urging Bloomberg to run as an independent contender.
Support for the movement in 2008
The movement’s backing largely originated from independent voters disillusioned with the traditional party choices. Public endorsements came from entrepreneur Mark Cuban and comic strip creator Scott Adams. Additionally, political strategists Doug Bailey and Gerald Rafshoon exited the Unity08 organization to actively promote Bloomberg’s draft effort.
Relaunch for the 2012 Election Campaign
In October 2010, the Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg renewed its campaign to encourage him to bring together independents, members of the Independence Party of America, and Greens to form a viable third-party coalition. This initiative was in response to surveys indicating that 58% of Americans supported the creation of a third major political party, even though Bloomberg had expressed no intention of running in 2012.
See also
External links
- DraftMichael.com, official website for the Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg
- RunMikeRun.com, support platform for Draft Bloomberg campaigns
- UniteforMike.com, archived site related to the 2008 Draft Bloomberg movement
- ↑ Bloomberg, Michael R. (Feb 28, 2008) "I'm Not Running for President, but...", The New York Times Retrieved Oct 14, 2010.
- ↑ Fermino, Jennifer (2010-10-09). "Dispatches from the campaign trail". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2012-10-20. Retrieved 2010-10-12.
- ↑ Saul, Michael Howard (Oct 14, 2010) "Bloomberg Supporters Plot Draft", The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved Oct 14, 2010.
- ↑ (Oct 13, 2010) "Green Party Candidates Race to Join the Committee to Draft Michael Bloomberg Press Conference This Thursday", PR Newswire. Retrieved Oct 18, 2010.