United States | Brewing trouble

Why third-party presidential candidates fail

Howard Schultz’s presidential bid has got off to a bad start

By G.E.M. | WASHINGTON, DC

MULLING A RUN for the presidency has become something of a fad among American billionaires. Michael Bloomberg, Oprah Winfrey and Mark Zuckerberg have all been mentioned as potential challengers to President Donald Trump in 2020. On January 27th, Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks, said he was considering a run—as an independent. The reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. At an event to promote Mr Schultz’s book this week a heckler expressed what many Democrats were thinking when he yelled: “Don’t help elect Trump, you egotistical billionaire!”

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