A new poll conducted by Optimus shows that the addition of Howard Schultz as an independent candidate to the 2020 field benefits President Trump across the board.
The poll ran head-to-head numbers against four major Democrat candidates, and in each scenario, Schultz pulled support away from the Party to aid the President.
In fact, the survey showed that Schultz’s addition widened the lead Trump had over every major Democrat figure … except one.
In hypothetical matchups against Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden, only Biden leads Trump and retains that lead when Schultz is factored in. But even then, Biden’s lead shrinks when Schultz is factored in.
2020 National GE:
Trump 42% (+3)
Warren 39%
Schultz 8%
.
Trump 42% (+9)
O’Rourke 33%
Schultz 9%@Be0ptimus 1/30-2/1https://t.co/bNDdzR4kUo— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) February 8, 2019
2020 National GE:
Trump 45% (+1)
Harris 44%
.
Trump 42% (+4)
Harris 38%
Schultz 7%@Be0ptimus 1/30-2/1https://t.co/bNDdzR4kUo— Political Polls (@Politics_Polls) February 8, 2019
So That’s Why the Left Is So Mad
This helps explain the extreme vitriol the left has been spewing in Schultz’s direction since he hinted at a possible 2020 campaign.
The Starbucks CEO has been getting hardcore criticism for considering an independent run, the belief being that he would siphon off resistance votes and help Trump win re-election.
This new poll certainly suggests he’d play a role in at least swaying the numbers.
Support For an Independent?
This poll reveals something else – there is moderate support for an independent candidate to actually make a run. Perhaps that’s because of President Trump’s somewhat polarizing tactics.
But, the fact that Schultz pulls a greater percentage of Democrat voters to his side shows that voters are more likely looking for someone slightly less insane than the Party has been willing to offer thus far.
A decent amount – 19 percent – said they’d like to see a third option, someone outside the two-party system, lead the country forward.
An independent bid by Howard Schultz would likely pull enough votes away from a Democratic candidate to strengthen Trump’s chances in 2020, a poll finds https://t.co/xrwozieHlT
— Bloomberg (@business) February 7, 2019
“I respect the Democratic Party,” Schultz said in trying to explain why he’d run an independent campaign. “I no longer feel affiliated because I don’t know their views represent the majority of Americans.”
“In order to run as a Democrat today, you have to fall in line with free Medicare for everybody—free—free college for everybody, a free job for everybody,”@HowardSchultz tells us why he would run as an Independent in 2020. “We can’t afford to do it free” https://t.co/PCMHBZ9q65 pic.twitter.com/dOAYaeVAVp
— The View (@TheView) January 29, 2019
This new poll also shows why President Trump has been trying to goad Schultz into committing to his independent run.
“Howard Schultz doesn’t have the guts to run for President!” he said, later taunting him about paying Starbucks taxes in their Trump Tower store.