Following the news that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz is considering running for president as an independent candidate, former mayor Michael Bloomberg released a statement regarding independent runs. Bloomberg had considered an independent run in the past, but found that:
“The data was very clear and very consistent. Given the strong pull of partisanship and the realities of the electoral college system, there is no way an independent can win. That is truer today than ever before.”
Bloomberg understands that, at best, independent candidates can only serve as a spoiler in presidential elections. A centrist independent candidate would only have a chance of winning if we reform our system so that the winner of the national popular vote becomes the president.