Bloomberg Gives $500,000 To Juice Dem Turnout In Miami-Dade

Washington, Oct 13 (AP) Billionaire former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg is donating $500,000 to juice Democratic turnout in Miami-Dade County, a place where the party must bank a massive number of votes if it hopes to win the pivotal swing state of Florida. The donation, the largest ever made to the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party, could not only lift Joe Biden’s chances of winning the state, which would all but eliminate President Donald Trump’s path to a second term. The effort to increase turnout also could improve the fortunes of Daniella Levine Cava, the Democratic candidate for mayor of the county, whose victory could have statewide and national implications that transcend the local nature of the office.

Though Miami-Dade County is a Democratic stronghold, Republicans have controlled the office for 16 years, which has allowed them to exert considerable sway over the way local elections are conducted. And in a state that is typically decided on razor-thin margins, changes that make it easier for Democrats to turn out their voters could have a ripple effect on future statewide races, as well as on the presidential election in 2024. Having a strong mayor who is a registered Democrat for the first time in 16 years with Florida as a continuing political landscape is a big deal, said Christian Ulvert, a Democratic consultant who is advising both Levine Cava and Biden’s Florida campaign.