Bloomberg Leaves GOP, Becomes An Independent

ABC News’ David Chalian Reports: Michael Bloomberg, elected as a Republican twice as New York mayor, has changed his voter registration as unaffiliated with any political party.

"I have filed papers with the New York City Board of Elections to change my status as a voter and register as unaffiliated with any political party. Although my plans for the future haven’t changed, I believe this brings my affiliation into alignment with how I have led and will continue to lead our City, he said Tuesday in a statement.

"A nonpartisan approach has worked wonders in New York: we’ve balanced budgets, grown our economy, improved public health, reformed the school system and made the nation’s safest city even safer."

Even despite claiming he’s finished with politics at the conclusion of his second term, there has been much speculation that Bloomberg might launch an independent run for president in 2008. With billions in the bank, Bloomberg may consider financing a White House run himself, as he did with both his elections in New York.

The announcement comes on a day where the mayor attended a USC political conference with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger R-Calif., focused on bridging the nation’s political divide.