Billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump announced he is considering a run for governor of New York and claims he "would win easily," WJLA TV reported.
According to the report, Trump, 67, has already met with Republican leaders and is willing to spend tens of millions of dollars on a campaign, though he's made similiar notions in the past about a possible run for office.
"I've got time," he said the The Associated Press earlier this week. "I believe -- and many people believe -- I'm the only Republican who can win. I think I would win easily."
However, he also said he would only run if the state's GOP supported him entirely, leaving no room for other Republican challengers.
"I've said it very clearly -- if the Republican Party can unify and get their act together, I would spend the money and run," Trump added.
Though he said he might run for governor in 2006 and president in 2000, 2004, and 2008, he claims he "left leading in all the polls" every time he decided to end his bids -- despite receiving harsh criticism for questioning President Obama's birth certificate on numerous occasions.
Trump is traveling to Buffalo to meet with Erie County GOP leaders on Friday. Despite New York being a strongly blue state, he blames the leader of the state's GOP for not effectively connecting with voters.
"The problem with the Republican Party in New York is that it's run by a guy who doesn't know how to lead," he said, referring to Ed Cox. "Look at the recent mayoral race, the last gubernational race. He doesn't know how to win."
Cox didn't issue a lengthy response to Trump's comments but said that "anyone who wants to be a candidate needs to go through our process."
