Democrats may be on the verge of brewing up a boycott against Starbucks as a way to pressure the company’s former CEO, Howard Schultz, from running as an independent in 2020.
A few Democratic lawmakers have already encouraged Schultz not to run since it could split the anti-Trump vote in 2020 and give Trump another term. Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., said over the weekend Schultz’s candidacy would “make it easier for @realDonaldTrump to win.”
Many Democrats are willing to go further by threatening to stop buying the expensive coffees at Starbucks. On Sunday, ThinkProgress editor Ian Millhiser encouraged major candidates to “use their email lists to promote a Starbucks boycott” until Schultz leaves the race.
[Read more: Julian Castro: Howard Schultz independent bid is Trump’s ‘best hope’ for re-election]
If Howard Schultz gets into the presidential race, @MoveOn, @IndivisibleTeam, the @DNC, the major unions, and the major presidential campaigns should all use their email lists to promote a Starbucks boycott until he drops out.
— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) January 27, 2019
Neera Tanden, president of Center for American Progress, said Saturday that she would organize a boycott against Starbucks to get him out.
“If he enters the race, I will start a Starbucks boycott because I’m not giving a penny that will end up in the election coffers of a guy who will help Trump win,” she wrote.
Vanity projects that help destroy democracy are disgusting. If he enters the race, I will start a Starbucks boycott because I’m not giving a penny that will end up in the election coffers of a guy who will help Trump win. https://t.co/epUYVrcEg8
— Neera Tanden (@neeratanden) January 26, 2019
Several other Democrats on Twitter were calling for a boycott, although there was no apparent effort to organize one as of Monday morning. Still, a writer for the Washington Post, Aaron Blake, predicted on Twitter that a boycott was coming.
There is going to be a Starbucks boycott isn’t there?
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlake) January 28, 2019
