Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN News

Bloomberg Spends Over $1 Billion to Buy American Samoa

Monday, April 27, 2020

Bloomberg Spends Over $1 Billion to Buy American Samoa

OK, that headline might be a bit of an exaggeration, but the most recent filing from the Federal Election Commission (FEC) exposes just how much of a disaster Mike Bloomberg’s failed presidential run really was.

While it was clear Bloomberg had been contemplating running for president at least since 2016, and considered entering the current campaign as a Democrat as far back as 2018, he came late to the party for the 2020 race.  The anti-gun billionaire filed as a candidate for the Democrat nomination in late November 2019, after more than two dozen Democrats had already launched campaigns, and several debates had come and gone.

Undaunted, or simply out of touch with reality, Bloomberg forged ahead with what would become one of the most spectacularly failed campaigns in US history.  In a little more than three months, according to the FEC, he spent more than $1 billion dollars, all out of his own private account.  And what did that get him?

First, he bought his way onto the debate stage, in spite of not qualifying until the rules were changed in a way that favored him.  His premier was in Las Vegas, where he had one of the worst performances on stage that town has ever seen.

Next came Super Tuesday, when his name first appeared on state Democrat Primary ballots.  After having spent several hundreds of millions of dollars to flood the airwaves and clog computers with his ads, Bloomberg finished no higher than third in any state.  He did, however, win the American Samoa Democratic Caucus, netting him four delegates out of the 1,991 needed to be the nominee.

The next day, Bloomberg quit.

So, after spending over $1 billion dollars of his own money, far more than any individual has ever spent in US history, the former New York City Mayor never exceeded third place in any state where he was on the ballot.  His only victory was in American Samoa; a territory whose annual budget is less than half of what Bloomberg spent in roughly three months.

Democrats may have rejected Mike as a viable candidate to take on President Trump, but he did seem to qualify under one particular political trope; the fiscally-irresponsible politician.  At least his embarrassing campaign only put a tiny dent in his own substantial wealth, rather than soaking the taxpayers should he and his policies have ever made it to the White House.  For that, perhaps we can all be grateful.

TRENDING NOW
Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

News  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

Congress Passes the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Now Headed to President Trump

Earlier today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, ...

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

News  

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

One Big Beautiful Bill Clears Senate, and Heads Back to House

Earlier today the U.S. Senate passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” This bill contained a provision that would, among other things, eliminate the burdensome $200 excise tax imposed by federal law on suppressors, short-barreled firearms, and “any ...

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, July 3, 2025

U.S. House Sends Reconciliation Bill to President Trump

NFA Tax on Suppressors, Short-Barreled Firearms, and Other Arms Reduced to $0

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

News  

Saturday, June 28, 2025

U.S. Senate Adds Pro-Gun Tax Relief Language Back into Reconciliation Bill

Overnight, the U.S. Senate added pro-gun tax relief language back into the Reconciliation bill after the Senate Parliamentarian struck out an earlier provision.  While this new provision is not as expansive as the language we advocated for which ...

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

News  

Friday, July 4, 2025

President Trump Signs the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” into Law

Earlier today, on the 4th of July, a day on which our Founding Fathers declared their intent for a free nation, the President of the United State of America, Donald Trump, signed the “One Big ...

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Armed Churchgoers Prevent Mass Attack as State Lawmakers Plot More Gun Control

Just over an hour away from the state capitol in Lansing, Michigan – even as lawmakers worked feverishly to pass various gun control measures, including expansion of “gun free” zones – a chilling reminder unfolded of the ...

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Tuesday, June 24, 2025

North Carolina: Update on Gun Bills Moving through the General Assembly

Recently, House Bill 193 (H193) was reported favorably out of both the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Rules Committee, with amendments.

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Canada’s Big Ugly Gun Grab: An Update

Canada’s Liberal government is pressing on with its harebrained gun ban and confiscation program for “assault style weapons,” but, true to form and precedents, it has been far from smooth sailing.

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

News  

Monday, June 30, 2025

Urge the U.S. Senate to Pass the One Big Beautiful Bill – Contact Your U.S. Senators Today!

The U.S. Senate has cleared a number of procedural hurdles and is preparing to vote on the One Big Beautiful Bill. This vote will likely come within the next day. The One Big Beautiful Bill includes ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.