Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will reportedly enter the 2020 Democratic presidential race and has already taken preliminary steps to the end.
According to a New York Times report Thursday, the former New York City mayor has sent staff members to Alabama to gather signatures to get on the presidential-primary ballot there.
Citing “people briefed on Mr. Bloomberg’s plans,” The Times reported that no final decision has been made, but that a Friday deadline to declare interest in Alabama forced the billionaire’s hand.
The Associated Press reported similarly early Thursday evening.
Howard Wolfson, a close adviser to Mr. Bloomberg, told The Times that the tycoon thinks it essential that Mr. Trump be defeated in his reelection bid, but is skeptical of the current Democratic field and the hard-left policies its leaders are pushing.
“We now need to finish the job and ensure that Trump is defeated — but Mike is increasingly concerned that the current field of candidates is not well positioned to do that,” Mr. Wolfson said. “If Mike runs he would offer a new choice to Democrats built on a unique record running America’s biggest city, building a business from scratch and taking on some of America’s toughest challenges as a high-impact philanthropist.”
Mr. Bloomberg, a former Republican, would be the second billionaire to enter the Democratic field late, following Tom Steyer.
However, while Mr. Steyer has competed in the progressive lane — calling for vigorous efforts to fight climate change and being on the “impeach President Trump” bandwagon very early — Mr. Bloomberg likely run as a centrist in the current field.
After Alabama, several other states, including the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire, have deadlines coming soon to declare interest or gather signatures.
Mr. Bloomberg may also, The Times noted, have a hard time getting into the Democratic presidential debates and their increasingly demanding criteria for admission.
While he has more than enough money to fund his campaign and high name recognition, Mr. Bloomberg would have to persuade thousands of donors to get behind him and poll higher than are several candidates who’ve been running for months and seemingly living in Iowa and New Hampshire.
• Victor Morton can be reached at vmorton@washingtontimes.com.
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