With support from the University of Richmond

History News Network

History News Network puts current events into historical perspective. Subscribe to our newsletter for new perspectives on the ways history continues to resonate in the present. Explore our archive of thousands of original op-eds and curated stories from around the web. Join us to learn more about the past, now.

Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer: Howard Schultz could re-elect Donald Trump

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is thinking about running for president on an independent ticket. Even though he has been a lifelong Democrat, Schultz now insists that the party has become too radical. During an interview with "60 Minutes," he said he is considering running a campaign as a "centrist independent, outside of the two-party system."

Although the announcement conjures instant jokes about a campaign promising a "vanilla latte in every cup," this potential run could have serious consequences for the future of the nation. By entering the race, Schultz could emerge as a savior that the struggling President Donald Trump and the GOP have been desperately waiting for. Drawing on his own personal fortune, he will have the resources to mount a serious campaign and to blast his message over the airwaves and on your cell phone.

And he could easily pose a serious problem to a Democratic candidate seeking to secure every vote possible in the crucial purple states.

The odds of Schultz winning the presidency are incredibly long. In our strong two-party system, third-party candidates don't really have a chance, especially now that our politics are more polarized than ever.

Read entire article at CNN