- The Nevada Democratic debate was the first time Michael Bloomberg appeared on the debate stage.
- Senator Bernie Sanders is still the clear frontrunner for the Democratic nomination.
- The Nevada Caucus is set to happen on Saturday.
LAS VEGAS – The odds for who will be the Democratic nominee have seen some major movement after the Nevada debate on Wednesday.
On Wednesday night, Michael Bloomberg made his debut on the debate stage. After the performance he had, Bloomberg might be wishing that he never went on the stage.
Taking Down Bloomberg
Several different candidates on the stage were on the attack on Bloomberg. This was due to the fact that as a billionaire, he has the money to buy more ad space than the other candidates combined. It was also due to the fact that the DNC changed their qualifications for debates to make sure Bloomberg made it to the stage.
None of the other candidates took too kindly to Bloomberg’s presence on the debate stage. The most vicious attacks he suffered came from Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Sen. Warren attacked Bloomberg about the number of non-disclosure acts he has against former female employees.
This is not just a question of Mike Bloomberg’s character—it’s a question about electability. We’re not going to beat Donald Trump with a man who silences women with who knows how many nondisclosure agreements. #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/ozPFghxU8s
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) February 20, 2020
The attacks did not stop with Sen. Warren. Sen. Bernie Sanders also launched attacks on to Bloomberg about wanting to buy the election. He also pushed against Pete Buttigieg for accepting donations from millionaires and billionaires like Bloomberg.
At the end of the debate, Bloomberg walked away looking like he was completely unprepared for the debate. On the other hand, Sen. Sanders, who is the current frontrunner, came out relatively unscathed.
Moving Odds
The election odds have definitely shifted since the end of the debate. This is especially true when you look at the odds of who will be the Democratic nominee for the general election.
February 14 Democratic Nominee Odds
- Bernie Sanders +125
- Michael Bloomberg +275
- Pete Buttigieg +700
- Joe Biden +1000
- Amy Klobuchar +1400
- Elizabeth Warren +2000
Before the debate, Bloomberg has jumped up in the odds board. Bettors were favoring him due to the number of advertisements he has been distributing around the country. However, the odds have definitely shifted since the debate.
February 20 Democratic Nominee Odds
- Bernie Sanders -140
- Michael Bloomberg +400
- Joe Biden +800
- Pete Buttigieg +1000
- Elizabeth Warren +2500
- Amy Klobuchar +3300
Sen. Bernie Sanders has only further established his lead. After everyone shifted their focus on Bloomberg, Sen. Sanders was hardly challenged as the frontrunner. Bettors noticed that and are now putting more money on Sen. Sanders winning.
Nearly everyone else took a hit after the debate except for Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden. It is unexpected that bettors put their money on Biden after the debate. Biden had the second least speaking time during the previous debate.
It is unclear whether or not Bloomberg actually took massive hits during the debates. There is still plenty of time until Super Tuesday and Bloomberg can always buy more ads. Meanwhile, Sen. Sanders seems comfortably ahead for the Nevada Caucuses while Joe Biden leads in South Carolina.