Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced Tuesday that he’s not going to run for president in 2020, saying he is instead going to focus on doing away with “every single coal-fired power plant over the next 11 years.”
Mr. Blomberg said he decided that it was too risky investing his time and resources into talking about ideas in a campaign that he might not win, and that he was better off “doubling down on the work that I am already leading and funding, and that I know can produce real and beneficial results for the country.”
“I’ve come to realize that I’m less interested in talking than doing,” Mr. Bloomberg said. “And I have concluded that, for now, the best way for me to help our country is by rolling up my sleeves and continuing to get work done.”
Mr. Bloomberg was viewed as a potential wild card in the Democratic nomination race, given his vast fortune.
The 77-year-old had already made visits to the early primary states, adding to the speculation that he was poised to enter the race.
But there were also lingering questions over whether the liberal base of the party was willing to accept a billionaire who went from being a Republican to independent during his three terms as New York mayor, and only recently registered as a Democrat.
Polls found he was among the least well-liked possible contenders among Democratic voters.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.
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