New Delhi:
US Elections 2020: Michael Bloomberg, billionaire businessman and former New York mayor, moved one step closer to formally joining the presidential race as part of an already crowded Demorcratic field. After joining Albama's Democratic primary, Bloomberg filed to be on the ballot for the Democratic primary in Arkansas. However, Bloomberg is yet to officially launch his campaign for US Presidential Elections 2020.
After filing his papers in Little Rock, Bloomberg called for President Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 election.
"We must defeat Trump. He has failed us at every turn," the 77-year-old added.
Bloomberg's personal appearance to sign his ballot papers can be seen as a strong public signal that he will officially leap into the Democratic primary field.
"Officially filed in Arkansas to be on the ballot for the Democratic primary," tweeted Bloomberg along with a photograph of himself submitting the paperwork - four days after doing the same in Alabama. Both states have early deadlines to register for the primaries.
Back in March, Bloomberg had said that he wouldn't run for president, but more recently has been toying with the idea of throwing his hat in the ring. He has changed his political affiliation on multiple occasions, including switching from Democrat to Republican when he successfully ran for mayor of New York in 2001. He became an independent six years later.
Bloomberg's change of heart about the presidential bid is said to be fuelled by concerns that the Democratic Party has shifted too far left. Progressive nominees like senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are one the leaders in the current Democratic primary. However, a Bloomberg candidacy may hurt the current frontrunner Joe Biden, the former vice president who is the leading centrist in the race. It may also affect the growing popularity of Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, who has been rising in polls in early primary states.
Some experts believe that it may well be too later for Bloomberg to throw his hat in the ring as Democrats already have a strong list of candidates. Most of these have been on the campaign trail for months. Bloomberg, on the other hand, is expected to give a miss to campaigning in early primary states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.
