It seems that the one thing the Democratic party does not lack for this upcoming election is nominees. With nearly 30 candidates so far, half of whom have already dropped out. Perhaps one of the more interesting names still in the race so far is Michael Bloomberg.
At no surprise to anyone, Bloomberg is pumping tens of millions of dollars from his vast personal fortune into his campaign. Bernie Sanders had already criticized him for running even before his formal announcement. “I’m disgusted by the idea that Michael Bloomberg or any billionaire thinks they can circumvent the political process and spend tens of millions of dollars to buy elections.”
Of note is a secret digital business called Hawkfish, which Bloomberg himself founded during the spring. According to his campaign spokeswoman Julie Wood, Hawkfish will be the “primary digital agency and technology services provider for the campaign. She added that the firm “is now providing digital ad services, including content creation, ad placement and analytics” for their campaign. It will also help Democratic races across the country in future election cycles.
Bloomberg has always prioritized data and analytics in his business as well as his political career. He’s selling his famous phrase “In God we trust. Everyone else bring data” on merchandise. He has said he will spend over $100 million on anti-Trump digital ads. His campaign has already spent at least $13 million on Facebook and Google spots. Hawkfish however has no public website or any financial records connected to other Democratic causes.
“It’s clear to me and other tech leaders that Trump and the GOP are better at creating and sharing engaging online content than anyone on the Democratic side,” Ron Conway said in explaining his conversation with Bloomberg. “If we want to win in 2020 and beyond, we need to master the digital medium in our own effective way, including efficiently registering voters and sharing compelling content with the right audiences. The battle is being waged online and so far Democrats have been out-matched — if Mike can help us catch up, that will make a big difference.”
