Former Starbucks chief Howard Schultz confirms interest in independent 2020 bid, as Democratic worries rise
By Michael Scherer January 27 at 7:45 PM
Former Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz said Sunday that he is preparing to launch an independent campaign for president, rebuffing growing Democratic concern that such a move would help reelect President Trump.
“I am seriously thinking of running for president,” Schultz, a self-described Democrat, said on CBS’s “60 Minutes.” “I will run as a centrist independent outside the two-party system.”
A self-funded independent campaign by a well-known billionaire focused on attacking the two-party duopoly that has long defined presidential politics has the potential to reshape the dynamics of the race.
“We’re living at a most-fragile time,” Schultz said. “Not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what’s necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics.”
Democrats fear a credible third-party candidacy could allow Trump to win states he otherwise would have lost or push a decision on the election to the U.S. House, where Republicans currently have an advantage in the number of state delegations they control. The majority view of the 50 delegations, not actual control of the House, would determine the outcome of any such vote.
“If this is about principles and not ego, Schultz would help Democrats defeat Trump or run as a Democrat and broaden the debate within the party,” said Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden, a former adviser to both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in their 2008 campaigns. “Every value he claims to hold dear is undermined by a Trump reelection.”
Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro, who is running for president in 2020 as a Democrat, said Sunday that he was also concerned, even as he praised Schultz for his business accomplishments. As Castro and others suggested, their worry is that a three-way race would split Trump’s opposition, while the president’s own support would remain intact.
“I have a concern that, if he did run, that, essentially, it would provide Donald Trump with his best hope of getting reelected,” Castro said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I would suggest to Mr. Schultz to truly think about the negative impact that might make.”
A Seattle-area chapter of Indivisible, the liberal grass-roots group, announced plans for a “Pick a Party” protest at Schultz’s Thursday appearance for his book tour in his hometown. Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski, who is expected to speak at the protest, has requested a meeting with Schultz before his book event.
The potential run also runs a risk of ensnaring Schultz’s company, where he remains chairman emeritus. The Washington State Democratic Party tweeted a photo Saturday of a Starbucks coffee cup with the words “Don’t do it Howard!” written on the side.
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