Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is set to announce his decision to run for President of the United States this week, according to NPR.
A source with direct knowledge of the situation told NPR that Patrick has been making calls Massachusetts politicians, nationally elected officials and his supporters about his plans to run.An announcement could come as early as this morning with the former governor set to appear on CBS This Morning.
Patrick is the second “old-school” Democrat to join the crowded Democratic field vying to take out President Donald Trump in 2020. Billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been filing Democratic presidential primary paperwork in multiple states this week.
The former governor’s expected announcement will come just before New Hampshire’s primary filing deadline on Friday. When the former governor joins the race, he will have to fight against 17 other Democratic candidates who want to become the party’s nominee.
Patrick faces a steep hill to climb in terms of fundraising and making upcoming Democratic debates. However, he has connections to Wall Street and they may be interested in backing him because of concerns about Joe Biden’s staying power, according to Politico.
The 63-year-old, who is a close ally of Barack Obama, spent time campaigning for political races in 2018 before deciding not to run for president.
“After a lot of conversation, reflection and prayer, I’ve decided that a 2020 campaign for president is not for me. I’ve been overwhelmed by advice and encouragement from people from all over the country, known and unknown,” Patrick said in December 2018. Humbled, in fact. But knowing that the cruelty of our elections process would ultimately splash back on people whom Diane and I love, but who hadn’t signed up for the journey, was more than I could ask.
Massachusetts’ first African American governor is seen as a moderate between the two polarized sides of the Democratic party. While governor from 2007 to 2015, he supported gun control legislation, same-sex marriage and increased charter schools in Massachusetts.
When Patrick left office, he became a managing director at Bain Capital, which is a private investment firm co-founded by current Utah Senator and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of Battleground State News. If you have any tips, email Zachery at [email protected].
