Michael Bloomberg will not run for president as independent

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg will not run as a third-party candidate for US president. He had recently considered running as an independent in November’s election. Mr Bloomberg said he was concerned about the unconventional and insurgent campaigns of Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Bernie Sanders.

The owner of the Bloomberg news organisation said his candidacy would risk letting in Mr Trump or his fellow Republican Ted Cruz. He set out his reasoning in an article on his website on Monday entitled: “The risk I will not take“. Mr Bloomberg said that his run would split the vote. If there was no clear winner in the popular vote, it would create a situation where Congress would choose the president, he said.

“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,” Mr Bloomberg wrote. “That is not a risk I can take in good conscience.” (BBC News, 2016)