Michael Bloomberg Sparks Rumors Of Third-Party Run: Report

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg commissioned a poll in December to see how he would do as a third-party presidential candidate against Democratic contender Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump, the New York Times reported Saturday. Bloomberg reportedly commissioned the poll after witnessing the swift rise of billionaire Trump over the past six months, and the findings of the secret poll were not disclosed.

Prior to the 2008 campaign, Bloomberg reportedly launched a research effort into his chances at an independent run, and in 2012 he waited until November before endorsing President Barack Obama. Just last year, Democrats reportedly approached him to gauge his interest, according to a previous New York Post report.

A longtime Democrat, Bloomberg switched to the Republican Party to avoid a rough primary when he ran for mayor of New York City in 2001, and in the past, Bloomberg has toyed with the notion of a run at the presidency. He ran for his first re-election as mayor in 2005 as a Republican, then switched to independent in 2007 and ran for his third term in 2009.