A majority of Americans say they’ve seen a political advertisement from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, according to a new YouGov poll, which is 21 points higher than President Donald Trump.
The poll, which recorded the responses of 1,530 U.S. adults, showed a clear lead in advertisement awareness for Bloomberg among the president and all Democratic presidential candidates. Trump, who is being outspent only by Bloomberg in digital ads, is in a far second place.
Perhaps more noteworthy, Bloomberg is way ahead of other Democratic candidates. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who has jumped out as the frontrunner in most national polls, trails the former mayor by 28 points in advertisement awareness. Fellow billionaire and businessman Tom Steyer, who has also spent millions of dollars on advertising, had only 34 percent of people say they’ve seen his advertisements.
Sanders and other candidates have criticized both Bloomberg and Steyer for using their personal wealth to propel their campaigns through advertisements. The two billionaires offer examples of how that strategy can be both effective and ineffective in gaining awareness and support for their campaign. Bloomberg’s support has jumped to double digits in many national polls since entering the race in November, while Steyer, who announced his campaign in August, has stayed near the bottom in terms of support.
