Bloomberg swipes at Schultz over possible 2020 bid: ‘No way an independent can win’

Michael Bloomberg, right, said there's no way an independent can win the presidency, after Howard Schultz, left, said he's considering such a campaign. 

Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg took a not-so-subtle swipe at Howard Schultz after the ex-Starbucks CEO said he's mulling an independent presidential bid, issuing a statement Monday saying there is “no way an independent can win.”

Bloomberg, who is also considering a 2020 presidential run as a Democrat, did not call out Schultz by name on Monday, but the message was clear.

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“Given the strong pull of partisanship and the realities of the electoral college system, there is no way an independent can win. That is truer today than ever before,” Bloomberg said, echoing concerns from other Democrats that an independent would split the vote and help President Trump get re-elected to a second term.

Bloomberg, in his statement, cited his own history considering an independent bid (before he switched to become a Democrat ahead of the 2020 cycle).

"In fact I faced exactly the same decision now facing others who are considering it," he said. "... In 2020, the great likelihood is that an independent would just split the anti-Trump vote and end up re-electing the President. That's a risk I refused to run in 2016 and we can't afford to run it now. We must remain united, and we must not allow any candidate to divide or fracture us. The stakes couldn’t be higher."

Bloomberg’s comments come after Schultz discussed his 2020 considerations on CBS News’ “60 Minutes” on Sunday.

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Schultz revealed he was “seriously thinking” about running for president in 2020 as a “centrist independent,” challenging Trump’s fitness for office.

“We’re living at a most fragile time, not only the fact that this president is not qualified to be the president, but the fact that both parties are consistently not doing what’s necessary on behalf of the American people,” Schultz said, specifically citing the national debt as “a reckless example, not only of Republicans but of Democrats, as well, as a reckless failure of their constitutional responsibility.”

Schultz’s comments on “60 Minutes” drew scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats, as some on the left fear he could play the role of a spoiler, especially considering Schultz described himself as a “lifelong Democrat” yet is now contemplating a run as an independent.

During the “60 Minutes” interview, though, Schultz ducked the question of whether his independent run would help Trump’s re-election.

“I wanna see the American people win,” he said. “I wanna see America win. I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, independent, Libertarian, Republican. Bring me your ideas. And I will be an independent person, who will embrace those ideas. Because I’m not, in any way, in bed with a party.”

No third-party or independent candidate has won over 5 percent of the popular vote since Ross Perot in 1996. But Schultz argued that the majority of the electorate is “exhausted” with politics.

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“What we know, factually, is that over 40 percent of the electorate is either a registered independent or currently affiliates themselves as an independent,” he said. “Their trust has been broken. And they are looking for a better choice.”

Meanwhile, Trump fired back at Schultz, saying he does not have the “guts” to run for president.

Fox News’ Samuel Chamberlain contributed to this report.