His national debate debut in Las Vegas last week laid bare his vulnerabilities around race and gender and gave many voters their first glimpse of his irritability. The performance short-circuited his rise in polling, and he has since made no headway against frontrunner Bernie Sanders in delegate-rich California, a state he was counting on. In addition, there are signs of a revival for Joe Biden in South Carolina this weekend — an outcome that would upset Bloomberg’s plan to seize on his demise as moderates search for a replacement to him…

In Texas, Bloomberg lags far behind Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden, who are tied at 20%, and five points behind Elizabeth Warren, who is in third at 17%, according to a University of Houston poll released Monday. The survey showed Bloomberg in a virtual tie with Pete Buttigieg, who has been outspent in the state by more than $50 million.

Bloomberg’s failure to break through in California, despite spending more than $60 million in the state on advertising, is another ominous sign for the multibillionaire. Sanders is expected to coast in California, where he’s spent considerable time and resources since his loss to Hillary Clinton there in 2016. He’s doubling his rivals in polling averages, and several of them are struggling to break the 15% threshold to win statewide delegates.