Writes Mike Holmes:

At the moment this is sheer speculation of course. Howard Schultz’s views do not seem very specifically libertarian. On the other hand he’s probably better than some recent LP presidential ticket holders like 2016 VP candidate Bill Weld (who ended up last minute frantically endorsing Hillary) or former GOP Congressman Bob Barr’s embarrassing  LP presidential run in 2004.

The Libertarian Party seems the best chance for potential candidate Schultz to obtain 50 state ballot status due to the huge expense of ballot access and bipartisan efforts to preserve their political duopoly. Gary Johnson’s vote total in 2016 was bolstered by anti-Trump voters who wouldn’t vote for Hillary. Democrat strategists are pursuing a Hate Schultz jihad in the belief that a Schultz candidacy would sink the Democrat challenger by splitting the anti-Trump vote far more than Johnson did. Also Schultz is a self-made Starbucks billionaire who could self-fund a major campaign.

The current LP leadership has moved the party away from consistent libertarian candidates. The LP chairman publically disinvited 1988 LP presidential candidate Ron Paul from last year’s LP national convention. While the former Texas congressman became a national and international libertarian superstar during the 2012 GOP primary, some party leaders prefer a “libertarian-lite” approach. Schultz might fit that mold though some of his public views, such as favoring more “gun control” are far outside of the libertarian mainstream. Stay tuned.