Watch: 2020 Democratic presidential candidates answer Christian leaders' question about poverty

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor

Mike Bloomberg 

The former mayor of New York City from 2002 to 2013 was a late entrant into the 2020 race. In his video, he called caring for the poor “ecumenical work.” 

He quoted the call in Proverbs to “speak out for those who cannot speak" and "for the rights of all the destitute."

“When I was mayor of New York City, we had the most ambitious anti-poverty program in the country,” the 77-year-old said. “As president, I will attack poverty and hunger with the same urgency in every small town and big city across this country. I’ll work to make our public school system the best in the world by investing in the communities that need it the most, raising teacher pay and strengthening programs to prepare students for success.”

Bloomberg claimed that under his leadership, graduation rates rose in New York City by 42 percent while teacher salaries increased by 43 percent. 

Bloomberg promised to make health care more affordable, create more jobs and strengthen social services. 

“At the same time, one of America’s greatest assets in promoting peace and stability in the world is foreign aid,” Bloomberg said. “We need a president who understands that and uses foreign aid to prevent famine and disease, promote opportunity and growth and avoids conflict and war.”