Republican strategist Mattie Duppler said on Wednesday that Americans have forgotten the “facade” of independent politicians, amid former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s return to the Democratic Party.
“How many people saw this story and thought ‘uh, he’s not already a Democrat?’ ” Duppler, founder of Forward Strategies, asked Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on “Rising.”
{mosads}”People have forgotten this whole facade of independents. I mean, we see this a little bit in our politics in the United States. You’ve got two independents in the Senate who still caucus with the Democrats. No one knows the difference,” she continued, referring to Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Angus King (I-Maine).
“Bloomberg, all of his causes are very much aligned with the Democrat Party. So I don’t think that this is a shift in any way, shape or form,” he said.
Bloomberg announced early Wednesday that he had re-registered as a Democrat in New York.
“At key points in U.S. history, one of the two parties has served as a bulwark against those who threaten our Constitution,” Bloomberg said. “Two years ago at the Democratic Convention, I warned of those threats.
“Today, I have re-registered as a Democrat — I had been a member for most of my life — because we need Democrats to provide the checks and balance our nation so badly needs.”
The billionaire had been a Democrat for most of his life, but he switched over to the Republican Party in 2001 before registering as an independent in 2007.
The move comes as Democrats appear poised to take back the House in November.
— Julia Manchester
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