That’s not counting the thousands of political organizers he’s hired at salaries in the $300K range for the capos and $72K for the soldiers. If the blended amount is $150K and he’s hired 2000 people, that’s an annual run rate of $300m, which he has pledged to fund, regardless of whether he gets the nomination. This is basically a carbon copy of his NYC mayoral runs - saturation ad buys that drown out his opponents combined with an army of paid GOTV organizers and barrages of endorsements from influential local pols. For instance, he has secured endorsements from Houston’s, San Francisco’s and DC’s mayors.
Mr. Trippi called substantial pay such as what Mr. Bloomberg was offering plausible for a campaigns staff members in key early-voting states, like Iowa or New Hampshire, but highly unusual as a standard for employees across regions and even more so for the apparent sense of job security through the fall. Thats never happened before, he said.
Reflecting similar premiums, Mr. Bloombergs state communications directors and state political directors uniformly receive $12,000 monthly, according to the campaign, while state press secretaries make $10,000 monthly and the campaigns national political director commands $30,000 a month, or $360,000 annually.
James A. Thurber, a professor of government who founded the Campaign Management Institute at American University, said money was an unlikely motivator in campaign work, but he called some of Mr. Bloombergs spending necessary.
Since hes gotten in so late, hes got to pay above-market salaries to get good people to jump in at all levels, Dr. Thurber said. You cant win a campaign on an air war, he said, referring to a blitz of advertising. Youve got to have a ground war. He knows that, so hes buying the ground war.
I cant tell you the pleasure of having someone call me and ask, Who are important people in the community? said Patricia Halfen Wexler, a venture capitalist who spoke in support of Mr. Bloomberg at one of his recent rallies, and to not have to think, Who can give money?]
Endorsement from the Houston mayor doesn't appear to be doing Bloomberg much of any good in Texas. The Bernie Bros are still rocking:
Poll: Bernie Sanders Doubles Support in Texas Ahead of Super Tuesday