Mike Bloomberg may still consider a run for the White House — particularly if touchy-feely Joe Biden decides to stay out of the race, according to a report.
After months of speculation, the former New York City mayor said last month that he would not seek the presidency, writing in a statement that he was “clear-eyed” about the obstacles to securing the nomination in the packed Democratic field.
But sources now tell Axios that the 77-year-old, who is worth $58 billion, might reconsider a centrist path if Biden, 76, is compromised by the accusations from two women of inappropriate touching.
A source told the news outlet that the race looked like “a bloody fight for the same slice of voters” between Biden and Bloomberg — before the former veep’s public displays of affection grabbed the spotlight.
Axios notes that Biden may well end up staying the course, but that he appears more vulnerable now than just a week ago.
On March 5, Bloomberg wrote in a statement: “I know what it takes to run a winning campaign, and every day when I read the news, I grow more frustrated by the incompetence in the Oval Office.
“I know we can do better as a country. And I believe I would defeat Donald Trump in a general election. But I am clear-eyed about the difficulty of winning the Democratic nomination in such a crowded field.”