Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer to co-chair Michael Bloomberg's presidential campaign

Darcy Costello | Courier Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Michael Bloomberg launches presidential bid Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, one of the world's richest men, has formally launched a Democratic bid for president. (Nov. 24)

Louisville's mayor has a new side gig: co-chairing Michael Bloomberg's campaign for U.S. president.

A campaign spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that Fischer was one of two co-chairs so far for the national campaign. His role will focus on providing "strategic advice and policy insights to the campaign," spokeswoman Molly Corbett said.

It also involves "publicly making the case for Mike's candidacy," she said — as Fischer did on Tuesday morning when he hit the television airwaves to advocate for the former New York City mayor's fledgling presidential campaign in his new role.

Asked why he was supporting and co-chairing the campaign, Fischer pointed to Bloomberg's business success, mayoral experience and philanthropic efforts.

"He's ready to go from day one," Fischer said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "He's proven he can unify people and that's really what the country needs right now — for us all to get on the same page, and realize that diversity is our strength, and let's work together. He can do that."

A request for comment sent Tuesday to Fischer about what the role of the co-chair would entail was not immediately returned.

Earlier: Fischer backs former NYC Mayor Bloomberg's Democratic presidential bid

Corbett, the Bloomberg campaign spokeswoman, said Fischer's unpaid co-chair role builds on his "deep experience" as an entrepreneur and mayor, along with his work with mayors across the country. Fischer is set to take over as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in 2020.

The other campaign co-chair, Mayor Steven Benjamin of Columbia, South Carolina, is a past president of the group. More are expected to be announced in coming weeks.

Co-chairs are expected to participate in campaign events, including with Bloomberg, Corbett said. But his top priority, she said, will remain "the people of Louisville."

"We are grateful that he is dedicating some of his personal time to the campaign," she said.

Fischer previously said in a statement provided to The Courier Journal that he was backing the late entrant to the 2020 Democratic presidential primary because of the former three-term mayor's "unique combination of world leading political, business, and philanthropic experience."

U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, the Kentucky federal delegation's lone Democrat, said Tuesday that if Fischer was going to endorse anyone, it doesn't surprise him that it was Bloomberg.

"He obviously knows Bloomberg through the mayors' association, and Bloomberg's organization, if my memory serves me, funded some studies and investments for the city," said Yarmuth, who represents Louisville. "I'm sure he thinks that a former mayor of a big metropolitan area would be likely to be sympathetic to the needs and challenges of cities everywhere."

Background: Fischer cites progress in updating Bloomberg-funded innovation effort

The Associated Press reported this weekend that Bloomberg has endeared himself to many of the nation's mayors, having made investments to help train local officials and encourage them to take on climate, guns and immigration issues.

Fischer was identified as a likely co-chair of the campaign by The Washington Post last week, before Bloomberg officially launched his campaign.

"I can't tell you how many times I hear about people who want to vote for a Democratic nominee but they are afraid of a Democratic nominee being too far to the left," Fischer was quoted as saying. "So his name comes up."

Louisville's mayor, The Post said, had won competitive grants for his city from Bloomberg Philanthropies. That includes the "What Works Cities" initiative, designed to help midsize cities make better policy decisions with data, which sent the city $4.8 million.

Bloomberg is also the financial backer of Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action and the Everytown Survivor Network, grassroots political efforts that back gun regulation reform. He's also been a big donor to Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club and smoking cessation efforts.

Fischer, during Tuesday's TV appearance, urged people to "follow the money" and "see the heart at work."

"Look what he's been doing with climate, with gun safety, with population health — he's been putting his money where his mouth is on these causes," Fischer said. "If you were a mayor and saw how he's been working with mayors all over America on these issues, well, he puts his money where his heart is. ... And then he follows it up with action."

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Pressed on whether Democratic voters would back a billionaire for president, Fischer described Bloomberg as someone raised in a middle class family who found business success, then political success.

"What we need is a center-left candidate that can both win the primary and then win the general," Fischer said. "You can see, in the primary right now, that's the tension that's taking place. So, in comes Mike Bloomberg, with a resume that is extraordinarily unique.

"This knock on him as being a billionaire, to me, doesn't make sense. Here's a guy that grew up in a middle class family. Everyone would like to do this, right?"

Reporter Joe Sonka contributed to this report.

Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/darcyc.