How many Democrats are vying for the opportunity to unseat President Trump? Honestly, it’s increasingly difficult to track but the number of serious contenders now stands at 23. Now, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has joined the mounting army of would-be presidents. And according to de Blasio, Trump is a bully and he knows “how to take him on.”
Certainly, de Blasio and Trump are familiar with one another given that they share the same hometown: New York City. With Trump being an active real estate developer in New York, he surely keeps tabs on the mayor. But while the two share the same stomping grounds, they differ wildly in terms of politics.
As mayor, de Blasio has built a reputation as a stalwart progressive, pushing through a $15 minimum wage and universal pre-K. In terms of policy, de Blasio has an argument for being the most proven progressive, and the progressive base has proven to be one of the most energized segments of the Democratic Party.
Now, de Blasio plans to make stops in Iowa and South Carolina, key early battleground states. As a relative late-comer to the race, de Blasio has his work cut out for him. While the Democratic Party has been veering to the left, progressive Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have a big head start.
Further, de Blasio has faced plenty of scrutiny as New York’s mayor. He suffers from an approval rating of just 42-44 percent. He does better among Democrats, but still has an approval rating of just 53 percent. President Trump’s approval rating comes in at 46 percent and he enjoys stronger support, 91 percent, among Republicans.
