Just ahead of the 2020 presidential primary election, Park City Mayor Andy Beerman has announced his support for one democratic candidate.
Although he says he tries to stay out of partisan politics, Park City Mayor Andy Beerman has endorsed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for president. This is the first time Beerman has publicly endorsed a presidential candidate, and he clarified that he’s not speaking on behalf of the city council or Park City Municipal but as an individual. Beerman says he has concerns about national challenges that require a solutions-based approach and not divisive politics.
"Bloomberg is somebody that was highly effective as a mayor," Beerman said. "He's a centrist, and he has a history of building coalitions to address complex problems, and those are exactly the attributes I think we need right now."
Bloomberg jumped into the crowded race for the democratic nomination near the end of November, long after many of his competitors. Beerman says Bloomberg impressed him when they met a couple weeks ago, and he agreed to endorse him. Beerman is joined by a handful of other prominent Utahns, including Utah Congressman Ben McAdams; former Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker; and Black Diamond CEO Peter Metcalf in his support of the candidate.
Even with the late campaign start, Beerman believes Bloomberg has a good chance of winning.
“It's certainly a nontraditional path, but I think, one, he's going to be extremely well funded," Beerman said. "But perhaps more importantly, I think he appeals to middle America and will be able to gather both Republican and independent votes."
For Beerman, Bloomberg’s climate change platform resonates with him most.
"He has been one of the strongest advocates of us being proactive about addressing the climate crisis over the last decade, and this time around I'm going to vote for the environment," Beerman said. "I believe that's one of the characteristics that makes him stand out."
Bloomberg chose not to participate in the first event of the presidential primary Monday, the Iowa caucuses, a process which has been criticized as confusing and disorganized. Instead, Bloomberg has launched a large, self-funded, national advertising campaign.
Utah’s presidential primary is March 3.
