Will Mayor Bloomberg jump into the race for president?
He said he would make up his mind by the end of February, but today's the last day of the month and he hasn't made any official announcements. His team, however, is forging ahead with campaign plans, and even looking at possible campaign office spaces in Manhattan, according to a source.
The source tells NY1 that Bloomberg's advisers are considering the former New York Times Building on West 43rd Street and 7 World Trade Center as possible options.
Bloomberg has debated running for president in the past as an independent. But in October, he re-registered as a Democrat. He's argued that a third-party bid for the White House would fail, and likely ensure President Trump wins a second term.
He's been popping up occasionally in early primary states—like Iowa and New Hampshire—but so far has stayed officially on the sidelines as the Democratic primary field quickly grows.
If he ran, he'd be one of the most moderate Democratic candidates.
“To replace the entire private system where companies provide health care for their employees would bankrupt us for a very long time,” Bloomberg said.
Even if he decides not to run, advisers have said the billionaire former mayor would be prepared to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in 2020 to defeat Trump.
Mayor Bloomberg told the Associated Press in early February that he'd announce his decision about running for president by the end of the month. He has blown that self-imposed deadline, and there's no telling when he'll make up his mind.