The roasting of Howard Schultz

Howard Schultz's announcement that he's seriously considering running as an independent has received a pretty predictable range of responses spanning everything from mockery to white-hot rage. Like his signature coffee, he's been roasted to the point where almost nobody can sincerely say they really like him on the merits... but not enough people hate him, either.

I think 2020 can be the most interesting election in a generation, for an independent, and I honestly can't figure out what to expect if Schultz decides to run.

Who will he spoil?

Will he draw more voters from Trump or from the Democratic candidate, in key states?

Will his candidacy have an impact on who ultimately becomes the Democratic candidate?

Will it eg. shift the D primary voters leftwards, or persuade them to endorse a more centrist candidate?

Have voters ever been quite that tactical?

Shultz may be welcomed by Republicans who can't bring themselves to actively vote Trump out of office by voting for his Democratic opponent--but still want to make a "statement"--and veterans who appreciate his social business endeavours. I don't think he can draw a substantial number of D voters unless the party swerves sharply to the left.

I don't think he'll run. If this is his 'exploratory campaign' surely he heard the big thud? I think he'll spend a ton of his own money for a while and might even make it to a debate. That will help voters concentrate on the issues and decide what's important, which is always a good thing. But when it gets closer to Nov. 2020 I predict he'll drop out.

But who knows? And never say never. See Trump. :bulb:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Aimless

Have voters ever been quite that tactical?

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Good question, no good answer. The US electoral process is more reflective of party politics and gerrymandering than anything else. (Since most polls used previous voters and likely voters as their data base, the 'Trump effect' was vastly underestimated.)

It's super hard for any "Independent" or third party candidate to run against the two party machinery, since they have so much entrenched power. That's why "Libertarians" usually run as Republicans, or "Democratic Socialists" run as Democrats. Party affiliation has become so conflicted and confusing that it's even harder to break the dominant cycle.

*Trump should be challenged in the (R) primaries and not just be considered the leader of the GOP by default*

It's semantics on steroids, identity politics to the nth degree, but an (I) is still considered a "spoiler" to our two-party dominant system. That's the <sad> reality.


edit: I've been registered as "Unaffiliated" my entire voting life but I'm blocked from voting in PA's closed primaries. pfft what a crock