June 20, 2007

LIKE AN HONEST RUDY:

Bloomberg quits GOP, stirs buzz: Move heightens speculation on White House run (Scott Helman, June 20, 2007, Boston Globe)
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York officially left the Republican Party yesterday and changed his voter registration to "unaffiliated," further stoking speculation that he will enter the already crowded 2008 presidential race as an independent.

Bloomberg, a longtime Democrat who switched to the GOP to run for mayor in 2001, insisted the move had nothing to do with preparing for a presidential campaign. But his sudden announcement, together with his recent travels and criticism of partisan politics in Washington, will only fuel theories that he has his eye on the White House. [...]

His positions on social issues -- he supports abortion rights and gun control -- made him a Republican anomaly.
Actually, they're what made him not a Republican in national politics.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 20, 2007 6:32 AM
Comments

Once in a lifetime conversions from one party to another are common enough, but they inevitably lead to charges of political opportunism. Not sure what you'd call someone that changes party twice in six years, but 'honest' didn't jump out.

Posted by: pjbbuzz [TypeKey Profile Page] at June 20, 2007 8:10 AM

Great. It's 2000 again. Only he will spend 200 milion, not 200,000 like Nader.

If Rudi and Hillary get the nominations, it would be a three way NY race. Too funny.

Posted by: Bob at June 20, 2007 9:28 AM

Poetic justice if a third party candidate causes a Clinton to lose an election instead of winning one (or two).

Posted by: erp at June 20, 2007 9:40 AM

I don't think this hurts the Republicans at all since Bloomburg was listed under the dictionary definition of RINO. Democrats and soft centrists are his target audience and that helps fracture any electoral majority the Democrats might have assembled.

Am I missing something here?

Posted by: Ray Clutts at June 20, 2007 10:24 AM

Ray:

Every democratic presidential winner since LBJ has won without a majority in a 3-way race.

Posted by: Mike Earl at June 20, 2007 10:38 AM

Mike- You're right, of course, although with a third-party candidate like Bloomberg it could be the Republican's turn to benefit from a splintering on the left of center.

Posted by: Benito at June 20, 2007 11:30 AM

I believe Bloomberg was quoted (maybe it was an "off-the-record quote") as saying that if it looked like Hillary was going to get the nomination, he would run, because she is so obviously unelectable.

Posted by: b at June 20, 2007 11:33 AM
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