New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that he will seek the Democratic nomination for president.
De Blasio announced his run in a campaign video hitting out at President Donald Trump.
“I’m a New Yorker, I’ve known Trump’s a bully for a long time,” he says in the video.
De Blasio detailed his “Working People First” slogan by touting his proposals for a $15 minimum wage, paid sick leave, and pre-K for all.
“Don’t back down in the face of the bully — take him on,” he says. “As president, I will take on the wealthy, I will take on the big corporations, I will not rest until this government serves working people.”
“Donald Trump must be stopped. I’ve beaten him before and I’ll do it again,” he added.
De Blasio faces an uphill climb:
Unlike many of the near two-dozen candidates, de Blasio actually has higher name recognition across the country than most -- but his favorable ratings are way lower than you would expect from a presidential contender.
“On average in polls this year (excluding polls of New York state), de Blasio has a 22% favorable rating and a 21% unfavorable rating *among Democrats*,” wrote FiveThirtyEight’s Nate Silver. “That's quite bad. The average Democrat has about a 3:1 ratio of favorables to unfavorables among D voters.”
Despite winning his re-election with 66% of the vote in 2017, most New Yorkers don’t think de Blasio’s run is a good idea. More than 75% of New Yorkers said he should not run, including more than 70 % of Democrats.
Trump lashes out at de Blasio:
“The Dems are getting another beauty to join their group. Bill de Blasio of NYC, considered the worst mayor in the U.S., will supposedly be making an announcement for president today,” Trump tweeted Thursday morning, presumably while binge-watching Fox News. “He is a JOKE, but if you like high taxes & crime, he’s your man. NYC HATES HIM!”
De Blasio fired back in an interview with “Good Morning America” later on Thursday.
“Every New Yorker knows he’s a con artist. We know his tricks. We know his playbook,” de Blasio said. “I know how to take him on — I’ve been watching him for decades. He’s trying to convince working Americans he’s on their side. It’s been a lie from day one.”
Trump wasn't the only one taking shots at de Blasio's run. The conservative New York Post ran a front page showing people laughing at the prospect of his presidential bid.
