Bill de Blasio Becomes 23rd Democrat to Enter the 2020 Race

In a move that has, statistically speaking, exactly no one in America excited, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday morning that he will become the 23^rd Democrat to seek the 2020 presidential nomination. Coming only a couple of days after de Blasio gave a Green New Deal speech at Trump Tower (and was roundly heckled and booed by Trump supporters), the mayor emphasized his progressive record while insisting that he would be the candidate for “working people.”

“Doesn’t matter if you live in a city or a rural area, a big state, small state,” he said in his campaign announcement video. “Doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is. People in every part of this country felt stuck or even like they’re going backwards.”

Yes, and they need a good shot of de Blasio-style Communism to lift them up into the light. Workers of the world unite!

The mayor also took aim at Trump, saying, “I know how to take him on.”

“Don’t back down in the face of a bully, confront him,” de Blasio said. “Donald Trump must be stopped. I’ve beaten him before and I will do it again.”

De Blasio did not expound on the details of when or how he “beat” Donald Trump.

In a statement, RNC Communications Director Michael Ahrens said that while there was nothing to worry about from a Bill de Blasio presidential run, his entry into the race was symbolic of the Democratic Party’s leftward shift.

“Bill de Blasio is a liberal extremist who wants the government to control everything from your health care to what you eat,” he said. “Americans can rest assured that he won’t win, but unfortunately his socialist policies fit right in with the rest of his comrades in the race.”

In a tweet, President Trump was characteristically blunt about his assessment of de Blasio’s candidacy.

“The Dems are getting another beauty to join their group,” he wrote. “Bill de Blasio of NYC, considered the worst mayor in the U.S., will supposedly be making an announcement for president today. He is a JOKE, but if you like high taxes & crime, he’s your man. NYC HATES HIM!”

Everyone from de Blasio’s aides to his constituents have urged him not to run for the White House and instead focus on the job he already has. But since that’s apparently too minor of an apple for him to chew on, he’ll enter the race with – according to Monmouth University – a net favorability rating of exactly zero. Which, incidentally, is exactly the amount of support he’s gotten in recent polls.

Good luck with that, Mayor.