Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will visit Iowa next week as he mulls a possible run for president in 2020.
Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie confirmed that Bloomberg will host a panel discussion and screening of his new film about climate change, "Paris to Pittsburgh." The event is Dec. 4 in Des Moines.
Bloomberg, who was elected mayor as both a Republican and an independent, announced in October that he had re-registered as a Democrat. The 76-year-old billionaire also funneled more than $100 million into U.S. House races to help boost Democrats during the 2018 midterms.
More: The midterms are over. It's caucus season in Iowa
He told the Associated Press earlier this month that he expects to make a decision about whether he will run for president by early 2019.
"I think January, February would be about as late as you can do it and as early as you can gather enough information," he told the AP. "Thanksgiving, Christmas and then maybe a few weeks into January — that’s when you really gotta sit down, talk to your advisers and say, ‘Look, do I have a chance?’
"I think I know why I would want to run. I think I know what I think this country should do and what I would do. But I just don’t know whether it’s possible."
This is Bloomberg's first trip to Iowa this cycle, but he did donate at least $250,000 to the Iowa Democratic Party ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
Bloomberg in October visited New Hampshire, which follows Iowa in the presidential nominating process.
He is one of more than 30 Democrats who are considering or are rumored to be considering a run for president in 2020, many of whom have already made numerous trips to the first-in-the-nation caucus state.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/26/michael-bloomberg-visit-iowa-2020-presidential-run-new-york-city-mayor-democrat-republican-climate/2120139002/
