Numerous publications are reporting that billionaire business mogul John Catsimatidis is creating an exploratory committee to map out the political landscape to potentially run for mayor of New York City.
Catsimatidis, 71, a Republican and friend of politicians on both sides of the aisle, runs Red Apple Group, a company diversified in grocery stores, media, real estate and various other activities.
He ran for mayor in the past and lost in the 2013 Republican primary.
Catsimatides, who has played an active role in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese’s efforts to rebuild St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine at Ground Zero, said he wants to “do a coalition of Democrats and Republicans, Liberals and Conservatives.”
His announcement, according to The New York Post— which he once tried to buy, comes as the city grapples with days of demonstrations, looting and violence and thousands of COVID-19 deaths.
“Last time I ran as a Republican and Liberal,” Catsimatidis said. “But I was not ashamed to call myself a Bill Clinton person after I got to know him.”
Despite overtures to Democrats, the dominant force in New York City and the overwhelming majority of the city’s voters, Catsimatides has been a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, a fact that could create problems for his candidacy.
Catsimatidis immigrated from the Greek island of Nisyros to the U.S. with his family as an infant. The billionaire has remained vocal on immigration and building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“Trump has stood up against the problem at the borders. These people are coming in and we have to feed them, clothe them, hospitalize them, educate them,” he said in a Bloomberg interview. “Build a wall.”
But he concedes in the same interview that he’s a pretty average, “middle-of-the-road” kind of guy.
“I’m not extreme right wing. I’m not extreme left wing. When I ran for mayor, I had the Liberal Party’s endorsement,” Catsimatidis said. “I’m a common sense, middle-of-the-road person. I’m a liberal as far as helping Americans. I’m a conservative as far as making sure we don’t piss away money.”
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