Warren Says Bloomberg’s Debate Attendance Will Show Democrats How They Will Fight An ‘Egomaniac Billionaire’

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) took to Twitter to attack former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ahead of his first debate she’s qualified for since launching his campaign. “It’s a shame Mike Bloomberg can buy his way into the debate,” she wrote. “But at least now primary voters curious about how each candidate will take on Donald Trump can get a live demonstration of how we each take on an egomaniac billionaire.”

Bloomberg will share the stage with five other candidates on Wednesday night in Las Vegas, Nevada, many of which have made it clear they are not fans of the former mayor. The billionaire, who candidates like Warren are accusing of buying his way into the race, is worth more than $60 billion.

Bloomberg is quickly gaining support and is currently third in national surveys. Warren, who came in third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire, is under pressure to make her mark at tonight’s debate. According to a Real Clear Politics polling average, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) is leading, with former Vice President Joe Biden trailing in second, Bloomberg in third, and Warren in fourth. 

Candidates are looking forward to the debate as an opportunity to interrogate Bloomberg for his record on policing and profiling, his stop-and-frisk policies, and alleged mistreatment of women in the workplace. He will also most likely be asked about what he would do with his business if elected. Tim O’Brien, a senior Bloomberg advisor, told CNN on Tuesday that Bloomberg would sell the company, and also release his tax returns.

Biden told MSNBC on Monday that Bloomberg “can buy every ad he wants, but he can’t, in fact, wipe away his record on everything from dealing with stop-and-frisk to his foreign policy assertions and the like.” On Sunday, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) told Meet the Press, “I can’t beat him on the airwaves, but I can beat him on the debate stage.”