Poll: Michael Bloomberg would be the big loser in a hypothetical showdown with Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders

Michael Bloomberg is predicted to lose if he were to run against Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders.

(Image credit: ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty Images)

last updated 18 February 2016

In a battle between extremes — Donald Trump on the right and Bernie Sanders on the left — one might expect a centrist independent to be able to nudge his way into the presidency. That was the hope of Michael Bloomberg, who has reportedly been flirting with the idea of jumping into the race.

A USA Today/Suffolk University poll begs to differ, however. It found that in a hypothetical race between Trump, Sanders, and Bloomberg, Bloomberg would be the least likely to win: Trump was chosen by 37 percent of expected voters, Sanders by 30 percent, and Bloomberg by 16 percent.

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In his time in politics, Bloomberg has identified as a Democrat, Republican, and independent.

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.