Bloomberg for President?

By Nicholas Scotichie, Opinion Reporter

    With former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg registering as a Democrat and visiting New Hampshire, many have seen this as a sign he’s gearing up to run for president. However, will another billionaire from New York be able to win?

    His mix of socially liberal positions, law and order positions on drugs, stop and frisk, and surveillance and fiscal conservatism would be a winning combination if Bloomberg was running in a Democratic primary 20 years ago. However, when many progressives believe choosing the moderate Clinton over the firebrand Senator Bernie Sanders hurt their party in 2016, would a former Republican have a chance?

    A victory in the primaries for Bloomberg would have to be centered around outspending the competition, a good showing in the Iowa caucus and a dominant showing in the New Hampshire primary. It would also benefit Bloomberg if progressive candidates divide left wing voters and the campaigns of moderates like Former Vice President Joe Biden are unable to make headway.

     At that point, Bloomberg would then have to sell a socially liberal, pro-free trade, and pro-immigration reform platform to the rust belt, perhaps an even harder task than uniting the Democratic Party after what could prove to be a divisive primary.