Since Howard Schultz’s announcement that he is considering an independent presidential run, a sudden surge of spoiler propaganda has us looking back.

Jackie Salit, the President of Independent Voting,  sent the following letter to Tom Perez, chair of the Democratic National Committee. She invited independent activists and leaders in her network to join in this outreach. The letter urges that he meet with a group of independent leaders and take the decisive step of opening the 2020 presidential primaries and caucuses to independent voters.

Independent voters came out in force, grabbed the system by the lapels and gave it a good shake. Independents comprised 30% of the electorate, up from 28% in 2014.  In all, almost 34 million non-aligned voters cast ballots.  The increase in the number of independents who voted as compared with the last midterms was 38%, whereas Democrat/Republican voting rose by 25%.  While the parties were dedicating themselves to “bringing out their base,” independents chose to be a major part of the equation in 2018. 

"I don't want any party," said Winfrey at a campaign event for Stacey Abrams, Democratic Party candidate for Governor of Georgia, "and I don’t want any kind of partisan influence telling me what decisions I get to make for myself.