Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, who mulled over a third-party presidential bid last year, is throwing his support behind Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
In a letter obtained by The Hill on Monday, Schultz announced that he would endorse Biden for president and that he would make a campaign contribution.
“In my view, our choice this November is not just for one candidate over another,” he said, adding, “We are choosing to vote for the future of our republic.”
He went on to say “democracy itself” is at risk in the election, as well as a free press, “an acceptance of facts,” “belief in science,” “trust in the rule of law,” and “unity in preserving all of our rights of life.”
He also encouraged Americans to make sure they vote for Biden, whether in-person or by mail, as he cautioned, “It would be a grave miscalculation to think this election is secured for a Biden victory.”
He continued to warn that Biden “must win over legions of working-class people in the Midwest and Rust Belt who looked to Donald Trump in 2016 as someone wh would disrupt the system for the better..’
“Today, many of them are deeply disappointed in Trump but are equally concerned by the extreme left,” he added.
Schultz predicted that the election would “turn on our economy and social recovery from Covid-19, a restoration of trust in government, and a thoughtful reformation of public safely.”
Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (who kind of maybe was going to run for president) endorses Biden. From the email — pic.twitter.com/bwBY7ZoMsh
— Kate Taylor (@Kate_H_Taylor) September 14, 2020
Additionally, he called Biden’s outreach to voters and his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention a “crucial first step in the bridge-building and healing we need as a nation.”
Schultz also addressed his decision to explore an independent presidential bid last year, “My motivation for exploring a potential candidacy was fueled by my love for this country, and a deep desire to help people from all walks of life experience a future that is more civil, equitable, and ambitious.”
He continued, “While my exploration revealed that a run for office was not the best way for me to give back to a country that has given me so much, I continue to believe that our nation can live up to our ideals, and that we all must envision and fight for a new American future.”
Schultz’s endorsement comes as several polls have found that Biden is maintaining his steady lead over President Donald Trump.
An average of national polls conducted by RealClearPolitics finds that Biden leads Trump by 7.4 points.