“How many of you would consider yourselves fiscally more conservative but socially more liberal?” As I travel around the country speaking to groups of business executives about public opinion and U.S. politics, I often pose that question to the audience. People look around the room, nodding approvingly, feeling validated that […] Read more »
Spoiler Alert? The impact of third party presidential candidates
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is considering a 2020 presidential run as an independent, and Democrats are in panic mode. On this episode of Poll Hub, our crackerjack team looks at the role of previous third party candidates and assesses how they impact the prospects of major party candidates. Then, […] Read more »
Is Medicare for All a trap for Democrats?
As the campaign for the presidential nomination heats up, the Medicare for All proposal that became popular with Democrats on the stump in 2018 risks pushing Democratic candidates into a trap in 2020. A political party is asking for trouble when it embraces a position on a high-profile issue that […] Read more »
There Are Not Enough Electoral Votes for Howard Schultz
Many Democrats and liberals are understandably freaking out over reports that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, a life-long Democrat, is considering an independent bid for the presidency in 2020. The fears are well-placed. The candidacy of an amply-funded, center-left Democrat might very well split the anti-Trump vote in a November […] Read more »
America Isn’t Really Set Up For Third-Party Presidential Bids
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz’s dalliance with a 2020 presidential run as an independent has sparked outrage among many in the Democratic Party who are worried he’d divert votes away from their nominee and help President Trump get re-elected. Schultz could give voters tired of Washington gridlock an alternative choice […] Read more »
Does the Democratic nominee need to out-Trump Trump? … and other presidential questions for the Democrats
In my last column, I raised three questions Democrats need to answer about the kind of nominee they want in 2020. Do they want an insurgent outsider, do they need someone with experience and must they have a woman and/or African-American on the ticket? In this column, I look at […] Read more »