Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is reportedly weighing a run for the Democratic presidential nomination after previously ruling it out.
Bloomberg has recently told associates that in light of Joe Biden suddenly being neck-and-neck in the polls against liberal Elizabeth Warren, he is reconsidering jumping into the crowded primary field, according to CNBC.
The 77-year-old billionaire has said he is “still looking at” a presidential run, but those close to him say that the only way he would enter the race would be if Biden continues to falter and leaves the race before or during the early primaries.
“I think it’s something he wants. He has not been shy about that,” one of Bloomberg’s allies said. “Nothing can happen unless Biden drops out, and that’s not happening anytime soon.”
A fellow New York billionaire with ties to him added, “Bloomberg is in if Biden is out.”
Bloomberg is one of the wealthiest people in America with a net worth of about $50 billion. He has taken swipes at Warren, who is further to the left than Biden, and has spoken out against Wall Street and the wealthiest percent of Americans.
During a forum held by a group he founded and finances, Everytown for Gun Safety, he took a jab at some of Warren’s anti-Wall Street sentiment.
“I just said to Sen. Warren on the way out, ‘Senator, congratulations, it’s a nice talk. But let me just remind you if my company hadn’t been successful, we wouldn’t be here today, so enough with this stuff,” Bloomberg said.
He also once compared a Warren tax proposal to failed socialist country Venezuela.
Bloomberg announced in March that he didn’t intend to run in 2020 but said he would devote his resources to defeating President Trump.
