Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is making a late entry into the presidential race, a move that could upset the Democratic nominating contest this spring.
According to NPR, Bloomberg said in a statement that he is running to rebuild America and defeat President Trump, whom he says “represents an existential threat to our country and our values.”
In a campaign video released on Sunday, the former mayor of New York City paints a picture of himself as a self-made businessman who became mayor in the wake of 9/11, who then “put his money where his heart is” by funding the movement to end gun violence and support environmental causes.
Bloomberg had been actively preparing to launch a presidential bid for some time, testing the waters and in recent weeks had even filed to appear on ballots in several states, raising speculation that he would be joining the race as a late entry.
According to his advisers, he plans to skip the first four nominating contests, in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, and will instead focus on the delegate-rich states on “Super Tuesday” March 3, 2020.
Bloomberg’s decision to join the race less than three months before voters start to cast ballots is a reflection of his belief that the current field of Democratic candidates are not positioned to defeat Trump in a general election.
