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Democratic chief says presidential bid for Bloomberg would be unnecessary

By Ann Marie Awad
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg holds an American flag during a Veterans Day parade in 2013. Friday, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz said it is unnecessary for Bloomberg to launch a third-party bid for the White House in 2016. Photo by Monika Graff/UPI
1 of 2 | Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg holds an American flag during a Veterans Day parade in 2013. Friday, Democratic National Committee chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz said it is unnecessary for Bloomberg to launch a third-party bid for the White House in 2016. Photo by Monika Graff/UPI | License Photo

NEW YORK, Feb. 5 (UPI) -- Democratic National Committee chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's possible White House run "won't be necessary."

In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday, Wasserman Schultz said the current slate of candidates on the Democratic side -- former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt. -- already protect Bloomberg's major policy concerns.

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"So, given why Michael Bloomberg is exploring the possibility of running for president, I really think when he takes a good hard look, he will conclude that the issues that are important to him — making sure that we can keep people who should not have guns from having them and keep people safe from harm, making sure that we can have the kind of education that our young people need and deserve, making sure that consumers have the kind of protection that they need — that has a natural home among our Democratic candidates," she said. "And so, I think Michael Bloomberg's agenda is well cared-for and advanced among our Democratic candidates, and his candidacy, I think he will find, won't be necessary."

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Bloomberg, who was once both a Republican and a Democrat, is now an Independent. He is exploring a possible third-party run for the White House, a move those close to him say is inspired by dissatisfaction with both Sanders and Clinton, as well as Republican front-runner Donald Trump.

Senate Democrats like Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., have both called for Bloomberg to reconsider running.

New polling out Friday showed a Bloomberg campaign would only serve to draw votes away from Sanders in hypothetical match-ups.

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