Michael Bloomberg is throwing $80 million into flipping the House

Michael Bloomberg wants the Democrats back on top.

The former New York mayor and businessman will infuse $80 million into the 2018 election, mostly helping Democratic congressional campaigns, The New York Times reports. While Bloomberg is politically independent, he has vocally opposed Republicans during the Trump presidency and will likely support candidates who lean the other way.

"Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, have done little to reach across the aisle to craft bipartisan solutions — not only on guns and climate change, but also on jobs, immigration, health care, and infrastructure," Bloomberg said in a statement Wednesday. "As a result, Congress has accomplished very little."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

While helping Democrats pick up 23 seats and win the majority is Bloomberg's main focus in the House, Bloomberg also explicitly said he'll support gubernatorial candidates on both sides of the aisle. And he's only here for moderate candidates — aka, no one who wants to impeach the president, per Bloomberg's statement.

Republicans in small congressional races usually land stronger financial support than Democrats, but Bloomberg could upset that dynamic, the Times suggests. Bloomberg-funded ads could tip moderate suburban districts to the left — and tip the House as well.