2020 hopeful Democratic presidential nominee Michael Bloomberg visits veterans in Fayetteville

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg made two North Carolina campaign stops in Fayetteville and Raleigh on Friday.

The former New York City mayor started his day at his new North Carolina campaign field office in Raleigh.

Bloomberg's office said he hired more than 80 staff members statewide, quadrupling his campaign staff since his first visit North Carolina.

Bloomberg, a latecomer to the 2020 presidential race, is taking a different tactic from his rivals for the Democratic nomination. While others are focusing on Iowa and New Hampshire, Bloomberg is zeroing in on Super Tuesday swing states like North Carolina.

Bloomberg later went to Fayetteville to open another office and announce his policy on veterans, troops and economic development.

Bloomberg's plan included extending GI bill benefits, encouraging companies to hire more veterans and easing the transition out of the military.

"There are 20 million veterans in the U.S. and right now we're failing them," Bloomberg said. "To do right by our veterans and military families we need to do more than recognize what they've done and experienced in uniform. We also need to recognize what they can offer as civilians."

As the Department of Defense announced its plan to deploy more troops from Fort Bragg's 82nd Airborne Division, Bloomberg discussed Thursday evening's airstrike killing Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

"I think it is imperative that the administration now tries to de-escalate this crisis in order to prevent wider conflicts and protect American lives, and prevent Iran from escaping domestic pressure to reform its political and economic systems," Bloomberg said.

Bloomberg released an additional statement about Soleimani's death Friday morning:

Bloomberg opened his first campaign field office in Charlotte in December. He said North Carolina will be a key state in the upcoming 2020 Presidential election.

According to a statement from Bloomberg's campaign, his team pledged to register 500 thousand voters from "traditionally underrepresented groups" in North Carolina.