Bloomberg weighs presidential run but is 'way away' from GOP

NEW YORK (AP) — Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is actively thinking of running for president in 2020 as a Democrat.

The New York Times reports Monday that Bloomberg said he is too far away from where the Republican Party is today, and if he runs he would have to run as a Democrat.

"It's impossible to conceive that I could run as a Republican — things like choice, so many of the issues, I'm just way away from where the Republican Party is today," Bloomberg told the Times. "That's not to say I'm with the Democratic Party on everything, but I don't see how [I] could possibly run as a Republican."

Bloomberg served three terms as New York City mayor and has variously been a Democrat, Republican, and independent. He twice flirted with running for president as an independent candidate but ruled it out.

The 76-year-old media executive has lined up behind Democrats in the midterm elections and is using his money to attack Republicans on gun control, abortion and environmental issues.

Bloomberg did not say when he would make a decision on whether to run for president.