Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Monday that he will not enter the 2016 presidential race because he was worried he might help elect Donald Trump or Ted Cruz.
“As the race stands now, with Republicans in charge of both Houses, there is a good chance that my candidacy could lead to the election of Donald Trump or Senator Ted Cruz,” Bloomberg said on Monday. “That is not a risk I can take in good conscience.”
Speculation for Bloomberg’s candidacy began a few months ago as Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump gained popularity in their respective parties, and more moderate voters wondered if there was a candidate they could support. Bloomberg has repeatedly said this campaign cycle is overwrought with extremism, had floated that he would be open to running as a third party and even had advisors look into the possibility of launching a campaign.
No independent, third party candidate has ever won the presidency before, and Bloomberg’s chances looked slim. His decision not to run likely strengthens the Democratic nominee’s chances, as the former mayor is very popular among Democrats.
The owner of Bloomberg News said he felt compelled to finally make a concrete decision after some “serious consideration” because of the creeping timeline for ballot access requirements. Although many Americans urged Bloomberg to run, the friend of the Clinton’s said that he does not believe he would win the primary if he were to enter now. At this point in the primary, Hillary Clinton has 1,130 of the necessary 2,383 delegates to win the democratic nomination. On the other side of the aisle, Donald Trump has 384 of the necessary 1,237 delegates.
“But when I look at the data, it’s clear to me that if I entered the race, I could not win. I believe I could win a number of diverse states — but not enough to win the 270 Electoral College votes necessary to win the presidency,” Bloomberg wrote.
In his decision not to run Bloomberg took one last parting shot at Trump, a fellow New Yorker.
“He has run the most divisive and demagogic presidential campaign I can remember, preying on people’s prejudices and fears,” Bloomberg said of Trump. “Abraham Lincoln, the father of the Republican Party, appealed to our ‘better angels.’ Trump appeals to our worst impulses.”
