The strategy reflects an urgency for Buttigieg in Iowa. Sources close to Buttigieg tell CNN that there is a growing consensus inside the campaign that if the mayor does not place in the top two in either Iowa or New Hampshire or if he places behind former Vice President Joe Biden in both states, the race could effectively be over for the 38-year-old former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.
His race is effectively over.
Well, historically, there are at most, three serious candidates emerging from Iowa, and 2 or 3 after New Hampshire.
The way the primary campaigns normally go, a candidate has to do well in Iowa and New Hampshire to still be viable to move on to other states primaries.
I know Bloomberg is a bit of a wild card with his deep pockets and his skipping Iowa and New Hampshire. He may upset the applecart on the conventional wisdom.