Fast Forward

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz Ends Presidential Bid

Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz visits Fox News Channel on April 2, 2019 in New York City. Image by Steven Ferdman/Getty Images

By Ron Kampeas September 6, 2019

WASHINGTON (JTA) — Howard Schultz, the former Starbucks CEO, is dropping his bid for an independent run for the presidency.

Schultz said he feared his candidacy could keep a moderate Democrat from ousting President Donald Trump.

The billionaire philanthropist announced his decision in a letter Friday to supporters, Axios reported.

Schultz, a longtime Democrat, launched his bid earlier this year because he feared that a left-wing Democrat would not oust Trump, whose policies and style he reviles.

“If I went forward, there is a risk that my name would appear on ballots even if a moderate Democrat wins the nomination, and that is not a risk I am willing to take,” Schultz said in his letter.

Schultz has said that his philanthropy is extensively informed by his Judaism.

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