Is Michael Bloomberg Finally Running for President?

With Donald Trump having defied major odds to become US President towards the end of 2016, plenty of media outlets were ready to start chattering about what this meant for future candidates. Some were ready to suggest that celebrities could now walk straight in and run against Trump in 2020 – names such as Dwayne Johnson were regularly put around – while others considered that the Democrat candidate against Trump would come from a wider pool of influencers. While Michelle Obama outright confirmed she wouldn’t be running in 2020 as early as a couple of weeks after Trump took charge of the US, Democrat voters were left wondering who could be ready to step up to the plate. Was America ready for Bernie Sanders? Maybe, maybe not – but one particularly big name and influencer seems to have been waiting in the wings for considerable time.

Michael Bloomberg, founder of the Bloomberg financial data and media empire and one-time New York Mayor, has come extremely close to running for the Presidency in recent years. Tongues have recently been set wagging by the fact that he has re-registered as a Democrat, having been registered and affiliated with the Republican Party since 2001 as part of his run for NY Mayor. Bloomberg famously switched to independent status in his third and final term there, though recent news appears to suggest that he is firmly behind the Democrats. For one, he has pledged at least $80 million to support the party in their midterms – and what’s more, he’s donated $20 million to Democrat Senators’ super PAC, according to The Economist.

▶ Bloomberg Re-Registers As A Democrat Ahead Of Rumored Presidential Run

Does this mean that Bloomberg is setting his sights on the big job? Possibly. His name has been associated with a Presidential run before – and his stance on many important issues appear to fly in the face of President Trump. Bloomberg is openly supportive of immigration rights and has supported gun control. He is also extremely pro free trade, and appears to have won assenters and dissenters on both sides of the political spectrum. Truth be told, he could represent a section of the US electorate in sore need of representation.

▶ Michael Bloomberg Prepares To Be Presidential Candidate

At the moment, however, things are still up in the air. Could the Democrats have found their successor to Barack Obama already? In any case, time is ticking – with just under two years until the next General Election, Trump’s opponent must be found!