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- Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is said to be postponing his decision to run in the 2020 US presidential election in light of former Vice President Joe Biden’s own campaign.
- Biden is the Democratic frontrunner in numerous polls and is believed to be running on a similar platform to Schultz, people familiar with the Schultz’s strategy said in a Fox Business report published Wednesday.
- Schultz was expected to make a decision this summer, but that could be delayed until 2020.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz reportedly postponed his decision on whether or not to run in the 2020 US presidential election in light of former Vice President Joe Biden’s own campaign.
Biden, who is a moderate candidate, is the Democratic frontrunner in numerous polls and is believed to be running on a similar platform to Schultz, people familiar with the Schultz’s strategy said in a Fox Business report published on Wednesday.
Schultz is not expected to run in the election if Biden were to maintain his moderate views and become the Democratic nominee, the sources reportedly added. Schultz’s was expected to announce in the summer but that could be delayed until 2020.
"His decision will be based on how the Democratic field shakes out and seeing how Biden fares," a person familiar with Schultz’s strategy said to Fox Business. "If Joe Biden remains strong, and remains a moderate, there clearly is a much narrower path."
The potential candidate announced he was running as an independent centrist in January. The longtime Democrat has since appeared in numerous televised townhalls and interviews. In recent weeks; however, Schultz’s media appearances and social media activity have tapered off due to his back surgery.
"If the math doesn’t tally up when I get to the next three or four months … I will not run for president," Schultz said during a CNN townhall in February. "Because I will not do anything whatsoever to reelect Donald Trump. No one wants to see him fired more than me."
Schultz received criticism by some Democrats who claim his candidacy could divert votes away from their Democratic candidate. Schultz’s potential campaign has been likened to former third-party candidates who were blamed for courting Democratic voters, such as Ralph Nader in 2000 and Ross Perot in 1992.
"I’m here not saying I’m against the Democratic Party," Schultz said at the townhall. "I’m here saying I no longer recognize how far left they’ve gone. I just don’t see myself in the party."
See Also:
- Here’s how Americans rank the 2020 presidential candidates on the political spectrum
- ‘No middle ground’: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams Joe Biden over climate change at a Green New Deal town hall in DC
- Obama and Bush’s former Defense Secretary says he doesn’t know if Biden would make an effective president, says a president in their 70s is ‘problematic’
Source: Business Insider – dchoi@businessinsider.com (David Choi)