Bloomberg campaigns in California while sitting out of Iowa: 'I'm not running against Democrats - I'm running against Trump'

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As the leading Democratic presidential candidates delivered their closing arguments in Iowa before the first-in-the-nation caucus, one billionaire White House hopeful was instead campaigning in California after being the last person to join the race.

Mike Bloomberg met voters in Sacramento a day after releasing a 60-second campaign ad focused on gun safety during the Super Bowl. The president released ads during the big game as well, attacking the former New York City mayor in a series of late-night tweets that dubbed Mr Bloomberg “Mini Mike” and claimed he was “part of the fake news”.

Pitching himself as a viable opponent against the Republican incumbent, Mr Bloomberg has sought to assure voters his late entry in the Democratic primaries won’t be an issue for his campaign.

“I’m not running against the other Democratic candidates,” he reportedly told voters at the California event. “I’m running against Donald Trump.”

He added: “We are going to win this.”

Still, not everyone is sure the billionaire — who has self-funded his 2020 campaign — can pave a way to victory without winning in key early-voting states like Iowa and New Hampshire.

At least one voter who attended the California event told the Associated Press that Mr Bloomberg skipping the first caucus and other crucial states “will turn people off” to his candidacy.

Mr Bloomberg has already greatly outspent his Democratic opponents on advertising, spending more than $250m to date according to several reports.

He has meanwhile seen a boost in national polls to fourth place, with nearly eight per cent of support among primary voters according to a RealClearPolitics polling average.

The former mayor also got into a war of words with Mr Trump after the president attacked him on Twitter, likely elevating his status in the crowded field — if only temporarily.

Mr Bloomberg’s campaign spokesperson described the president as a “pathological liar” following his tweets, saying Mr Trump “lies about everything: his fake hair, his obesity, and his spray-on tan”.