Michael Bloomberg Officially Files Statement of Candidacy

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took another crucial step in making his presidential bid a reality by filing a statement of candidacy with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Thursday.

Bloomberg, who has been teasing a presidential bid over the last few weeks, took another step in that direction, filing his statement of candidacy with the FEC. However, he has yet to make an official announcement.

An aide to Bloomberg told the Hill that the billionaire has yet to make a final decision but added that his actions on Thursday serve as “another step towards running.”

Coinciding with that development are Bloomberg’s plans to spend millions of dollars –  between $15 million and $20 million – on a voter registration drive “designed to weaken President Donald Trump’s reelection chances in five battleground states,” according to the Associated Press.

According to the report, Bloomberg will target “500,000 voters from traditionally underrepresented groups that typically lean Democratic, including African Americans, Latinos, Asians, young voters, and those living in some rural communities” in states like Wisconsin, Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Texas.

As for the Democrat primary, Bloomberg – if he chooses to run – has signaled that he will focus primarily on Super Tuesday states rather than the traditional four – Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina.

“If we run, we are confident we can win in states voting on Super Tuesday and beyond, where we will start on an even footing,” Bloomberg adviser Howard Wolfson said. “Fifteen states and American Samoa vote in the March 3 contests.”

A National Emerson College poll released Thursday showed an uphill battle for the former New York City mayor, who garnered less than one percent of the vote.

Only 16 percent of Democratic primary voters believe that he should jump into the race, the survey found:

Emerson Polling Director Spencer Kimball said that, at this point, the only “hope” candidates like Bloomberg and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick have is a brokered convention.

“While unlikely, the elimination of Super Delegates in 2020 makes it more possible, though it hasn’t happened since 1952 for either party,” he stated.