Bloomberg opens door to presidential campaign
WASHINGTON » Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire former mayor of New York City, is opening the door to a 2020 Democratic presidential campaign, signaling his dissatisfaction with the current crop of candidates vying to take on President Donald Trump.
Bloomberg, who initially ruled out a 2020 run, has not made a final decision on whether to jump into the race less than three months before primary voting begins, according to advisers. But he is taking steps toward a campaign, including filing to get on the ballot in Alabama’s presidential primary. Alabama has an early filing deadline and is among the states that vote on Super Tuesday, named for the large number of state contests that day. In a statement, Bloomberg adviser Howard Wolfson said the former mayor is worried that the current crop of Democratic presidential candidates is “not well positioned” to defeat Trump.
With immense personal wealth, Bloomberg could quickly build out a robust campaign operation across the country. The 77-yearold would pose an immediate ideological challenge to former Vice President Joe Biden, who is running as a moderate and hopes to appeal to independents and Republicans who have soured on Trump. But the billionaire media mogul with deep Wall Street ties could also energize supporters of liberal candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, who have railed against income inequality and have vowed to ratchet up taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
“He’s a literal billionaire entering the race to keep the progressives from winning,” said Rebecca Katz, a New York-based liberal Democratic strategist. “He is the foil.”
Bloomberg is a former Republican-turned independent who registered as a Democrat last year. He actively supported Hillary Clinton in 2016 and blasted Trump as a con man who overinflates his business success.