What to Know
- Mike Bloomberg has filed paperwork to run for president. His aide calls it a procedural move and that he has not officially decided
- A spokesman for Bloomberg explained that filing in the primary state of Alabama started a 15-day process to file with the FEC.
- People close to Bloomberg say that even though he hasn’t made an official announcement, all indications show him announcing his bid soon
Billionaire and former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg filed official paperwork to run for president in the 2020 Democratic primary.
It is a key procedural move and not a declaration that he is indeed running.
A spokesman for Bloomberg explained that filing in the state of Alabama started a 15-day process to file with the FEC. “This is not an announcement and not an indication of decision,” the aide added.
It’s Bloomberg’s latest maneuver toward a likely run for president. He has also filed to compete in various other primaries including Alabama and Texas. His aides have said that if he runs he will be focusing on Super Tuesday states and bypassing the early primaries, such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.
The billionaire, who has a net-worth of just over $55 billion, has been actively engaging with his allies for months about possibly entering the election after declaring in March that he would not be a contender.
Bloomberg’s team has previously said that he plans to spend over $100 million if he runs for president. Separately from his ambitions to run for president, Bloomberg has committed $100 million to a digital ad campaign against President Donald Trump.
Local
People close to Bloomberg have said that even though he hasn’t made an official announcement, all indications point to him getting into the race in the coming days.
This story first appeared on CNBC.com. More from CNBC:
