Dick's Sporting Goods CEO is considering launching a third-party presidential bid, which could pull votes away from Donald Trump in 2020. Ed Stack, a longtime Republican donor, is testing the waters for a run, a participant in a southern Wisconsin focus group told Politico. The individual said the focus group ran through different situations involving the billionaire businessman, including possible three-way general election matchups with Stack, Trump and Democratic primary frontrunners Joe Biden or Elizabeth Warren. In the testing, the participants said it focused a lot on Stack 'showing leadership' by halting assault-style rifle sales at Dick's stores following the high school mass shooting in Parkland, Florida in February 2018. Despite news of the focus group, a source familiar with Stack's thinking said he would not be seeking political office. 'Mr. Stack enjoys running Dick's Sporting Goods and has no plans to run for any elected office,' the source said of the 64-year-old billionaire. The participants said people were concerned with Stack's age. “[Focus group members] mentioned that if Biden’s getting the criticism that he looked old, Ed Stack didn’t look young either,” the source detailed. Biden, 76, and Bernie Sanders, 78, have faced criticism over their age, health and potentially deteriorating mental capacity to be able to hold the office of the presidency. Sanders especially has taken heat following a heart attack earlier this month and his admission that he was feeling more 'fatigued' than usual ahead of the health scare. If Biden or Sanders were to win in 2020, they would be the oldest president ever inaugurated. Trump currently holds that title, as he was inaugurated in January 2017 at the age of 70. Ronald Reagan was just over two weeks shy of his 70 birthday when he was sworn in. The focus group member also said some felt Stack 'didn't have the charisma it would take to attract a coalition that you'd need to have a chance as a third-party candidate.' Those in the focus group were shown short videos of 2020 contenders – including former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz who ruled out an independent bid in September. About eight or nine videos, however, included messaging from Stack, the participants revealed. After the videos were viewed, participants were asked if they were 'open to voting for a third party candidate.' If a well-funded, high profile Republican were to run as a third-party candidate, it could throw off Trump's reelection bid as he hovers below 50 per cent in most national polls. Stack has his personal wealth, similar to Trump's, and garnered national attention last year when he said Dick's would destroy $5 million in assault-style weapons and alter its gun sale policies. In 2016, Trump beat Hillary Clinton with only 46 per cent of the popular vote compared to the former secretary of state's 48 per cent. At the end of the focus group session, participants were asked to vote on sample ballots that matched up Stack, Biden and Trump and another ballot that included Stack, Warren and Trump. Trump is also already facing three Republican primary challenges, former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, former Illinois Representative Joe Walsh and former Massachusetts Governor William Weld, but none have posed any real threat to his candidacy, and the president has referred to the trio as the 'Three Stooges.' On the other hand, 19 Democrats are still running in the party's primary election, but former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro said he would drop out of the race if his campaign didn't raise $800,000 by the end of this month. Stack has upped his media presence recently with the release of his book 'It's How We Play the Game,' and has also weighed in on politics – including taking aim at Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for failing to make any progress on gun reform legislation. 'I wish he'd have the guts to bring it to a vote,' Stack said in one media appearance. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...icks-floats-party-bid-play-spoiler-Trump.html
The way things are going, I would not be surprised if Pence will be the nominee in 2020. Not saying he'd be the best choice but if nothing else I give him kudos for having enough self constraint to keep himself from strangling Trump.
And anyone that shops there! Conformity for sport. Anytime you get the mass to do something one way, it’s socialism in the purest.
nah.....I would never buy an AR 15 anyway...the extreme socialist masses you talk about would be lined up to buy them though....Socialist countries first destroy the media, then arm the youth and lock up the elders and intellectuals...I shop at Dick's for power bait and treble hooks mostly....sport is still intact without any political connotations. What I buy into is my social security check and medicare or va benefits....social democracy ...gotta love it!
I dunno, Trump does seem to have his head up his ass...so if Pence really puts forth the effort, it may be conceivable.
I was kidding about Dicks! My comment about herding the mass was from a political science prof in college. He said “when any government attempts to move the mass into doing something one way for better control, it’s socialism. Of course that’s was back when many young people and college professors were very much anti government. Boy how things have changed. My social security check and medi care I paid Into for 50 plus years.
