By Steven Viera || Senior Editor
Michael Bloomberg, former mayor of New York City who served for an unprecedented three terms, is considering a run for President of the United States. According to this article, Bloomberg is expected to make a final decision sometime in March.
Furthermore, this article in the New York Times reported that Bloomberg—the founder, president, and CEO of the financial software, data and media company, Bloomberg L.P.—is willing to spend up to $1 billion of personal funds in his campaign.
Sources close to Bloomberg say that he is frustrated with the heightened polarization within both the Republican and Democratic races and that his views do not necessarily align with those of either party. He commissioned a poll to explore how he would perform as a third-party candidate against Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, the frontrunners for the Republican and Democratic parties, respectively.
“He’s the opposite of me in many ways,” Trump said of Bloomberg in the New York Times article.
Aside from Trump’s rise, sources also report that Bloomberg is concerned by Bernie Sanders’ momentum within the Democratic race in the face of stumbles by the Clinton campaign.
Internal polling, according to the CNN article, revealed that Bloomberg would take more
votes from Republicans, although this may change as the campaign proceeds.
Bloomberg’s announcement, if he is to run, will likely come in late March so that he can still make it on the ballot in all 50 states in time for the election.
Bloomberg, who reportedly had meetings with New York Democrats to gauge his interest in a run, considered a presidential bid in both 2008 and 2012.
Senior Steven Viera is the Senior Editor. His email is sviera@fandm.edu.