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| Deval Patrick, Ex-Governor of Massachusetts, Is Considering 2020 Presidential Race | Deval Patrick, Ex-Governor of Massachusetts, Is Considering 2020 Presidential Race |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts has told Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democratic officials that he is considering making a last-minute entry into the 2020 presidential race, according to three Democrats familiar with the conversations, the latest evidence of how unsettled the party’s primary is less than three months before the Iowa caucuses. | Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts has told Joseph R. Biden Jr. and other Democratic officials that he is considering making a last-minute entry into the 2020 presidential race, according to three Democrats familiar with the conversations, the latest evidence of how unsettled the party’s primary is less than three months before the Iowa caucuses. |
| Mr. Patrick, a respected two-term governor and one of the highest-profile black leaders in the party, has told some of the Democratic officials that he doesn’t think any of the candidates have established political momentum and that he thinks there is an opening for somebody who can unite both liberal and moderate voters, according to Democrats who have spoken to him. | Mr. Patrick, a respected two-term governor and one of the highest-profile black leaders in the party, has told some of the Democratic officials that he doesn’t think any of the candidates have established political momentum and that he thinks there is an opening for somebody who can unite both liberal and moderate voters, according to Democrats who have spoken to him. |
| He and some of his top advisers had a meeting Sunday in Boston to discuss what a campaign would look like, according to two Democrats. And on Monday, Mr. Patrick personally began reaching out to potential staffers, telling them he was strongly considering a bid and asking if they’d consider working for his campaign. | He and some of his top advisers had a meeting Sunday in Boston to discuss what a campaign would look like, according to two Democrats. And on Monday, Mr. Patrick personally began reaching out to potential staffers, telling them he was strongly considering a bid and asking if they’d consider working for his campaign. |
| At the same time, Massachusetts Democrats close to Mr. Patrick have started contacting prominent party leaders in early nominating states to alert them that he may run. | At the same time, Massachusetts Democrats close to Mr. Patrick have started contacting prominent party leaders in early nominating states to alert them that he may run. |
| Mr. Patrick did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment but his allies said he is eyeing later this week for a potential announcement. | Mr. Patrick did not respond to calls or messages seeking comment but his allies said he is eyeing later this week for a potential announcement. |
| While Democrats are famous for being perennial worriers about the strength of their presidential candidates, their angst is even more acute ahead of a general election with a president they are desperate to defeat. Neither Mr. Biden nor the other two top candidates currently, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have demonstrated the ability to energize and unite a wide cross-section of Democrats and have both the financial resources and political support necessary to win the nomination and defeat President Trump. | While Democrats are famous for being perennial worriers about the strength of their presidential candidates, their angst is even more acute ahead of a general election with a president they are desperate to defeat. Neither Mr. Biden nor the other two top candidates currently, Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, have demonstrated the ability to energize and unite a wide cross-section of Democrats and have both the financial resources and political support necessary to win the nomination and defeat President Trump. |
| As a result, two high-profile Democrats have emerged as possible 11th hour entrants into the race, a shake-up that rarely happens so late in the process for getting on the ballot for the winter primaries. | As a result, two high-profile Democrats have emerged as possible 11th hour entrants into the race, a shake-up that rarely happens so late in the process for getting on the ballot for the winter primaries. |
| Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York is now actively preparing to enter the race: He filed paperwork and qualified on Friday for the Alabama Democratic primary, and he and his team have begun mapping out strategy as he weighs a bid. His moves indicate that he is farther along than Mr. Patrick in moving toward the 2020 race. | Former Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York is now actively preparing to enter the race: He filed paperwork and qualified on Friday for the Alabama Democratic primary, and he and his team have begun mapping out strategy as he weighs a bid. His moves indicate that he is farther along than Mr. Patrick in moving toward the 2020 race. |
| Mr. Patrick spoke to Mr. Biden in a phone conversation last week that he was weighing a bid, but did not indicate that he had fully decided to run, according to a Democrat directly familiar with the call. | Mr. Patrick spoke to Mr. Biden in a phone conversation last week that he was weighing a bid, but did not indicate that he had fully decided to run, according to a Democrat directly familiar with the call. |
| Mr. Patrick, now a CBS News contributor, said on the network after last month’s debate that the former vice president was struggling. | Mr. Patrick, now a CBS News contributor, said on the network after last month’s debate that the former vice president was struggling. |
| “I have always felt that his support was soft and it feels like his campaign is contracting rather than expanding,” he said at the time. | “I have always felt that his support was soft and it feels like his campaign is contracting rather than expanding,” he said at the time. |
| After 11 months of nearly two-dozen Democratic candidates aggressively campaigning and fund-raising, the primary field appears increasingly fractured. A pair of moderate candidates — Mr. Biden and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind. — and two progressives — Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders — are now dividing the vote in Iowa and New Hampshire, according to recent polls. None of them has been able to pull away. | After 11 months of nearly two-dozen Democratic candidates aggressively campaigning and fund-raising, the primary field appears increasingly fractured. A pair of moderate candidates — Mr. Biden and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind. — and two progressives — Ms. Warren and Mr. Sanders — are now dividing the vote in Iowa and New Hampshire, according to recent polls. None of them has been able to pull away. |
| Mr. Patrick’s candidacy could reshape the already-fluid primary field. He is well known in next-door New Hampshire, which holds the first-in-the-nation primary in February. And as one of the first black governors in the country’s history, he could also prove a formidable candidate in South Carolina, where black voters are expected to make up more than half the Democratic electorate. | Mr. Patrick’s candidacy could reshape the already-fluid primary field. He is well known in next-door New Hampshire, which holds the first-in-the-nation primary in February. And as one of the first black governors in the country’s history, he could also prove a formidable candidate in South Carolina, where black voters are expected to make up more than half the Democratic electorate. |
| If he is to compete in New Hampshire, Mr. Patrick would have to file there this week: The deadline to appear on the state’s ballot is Friday. | If he is to compete in New Hampshire, Mr. Patrick would have to file there this week: The deadline to appear on the state’s ballot is Friday. |
| A Quinnipiac poll released on Monday showed four candidates bunched together at the top in New Hampshire, with Mr. Biden at 20 percent among likely primary voters, Ms. Warren at 16 percent, Mr. Buttigieg at 15 percent and Mr. Sanders at 14 percent. (The margin of error was plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.) | |
| A possible Patrick candidacy could complicate the strategic assumptions for a number of candidates, including the two leaders in most polls, Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren. Mr. Patrick could threaten the former vice president’s support from black voters and also make inroads in New Hampshire, where Ms. Warren is counting on a strong performance in the southern part of the state that borders Massachusetts. | A possible Patrick candidacy could complicate the strategic assumptions for a number of candidates, including the two leaders in most polls, Mr. Biden and Ms. Warren. Mr. Patrick could threaten the former vice president’s support from black voters and also make inroads in New Hampshire, where Ms. Warren is counting on a strong performance in the southern part of the state that borders Massachusetts. |
| He and Ms. Warren have had an amicable, if not personally close relationship; when she was asked at an event last week to name African-Americans she’d want in her cabinet, she included Mr. Patrick. | |
| He is close to former President Barack Obama, as well as some of his top advisers, and has previously discussed a potential White House bid with the president. Late last month, Mr. Patrick was with Mr. Obama for a meeting of the Obama Foundation in Chicago. | He is close to former President Barack Obama, as well as some of his top advisers, and has previously discussed a potential White House bid with the president. Late last month, Mr. Patrick was with Mr. Obama for a meeting of the Obama Foundation in Chicago. |
| Were he to run, the former governor may find it difficult to create a full-fledged campaign organization so late in the process. Two of his longtime Massachusetts aides are already committed in 2020: Doug Rubin is working for businessman Tom Steyer’s presidential campaign and John Walsh is overseeing the re-election of Senator Ed Markey, who is being challenged by Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III. | Were he to run, the former governor may find it difficult to create a full-fledged campaign organization so late in the process. Two of his longtime Massachusetts aides are already committed in 2020: Doug Rubin is working for businessman Tom Steyer’s presidential campaign and John Walsh is overseeing the re-election of Senator Ed Markey, who is being challenged by Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III. |
| According to Massachusetts Democrats, though, Mr. Patrick has taken steps toward building a staff. | According to Massachusetts Democrats, though, Mr. Patrick has taken steps toward building a staff. |
| He asked one former adviser, Jennifer Liu, on Monday if she was willing to oversee his fund-raising. Ms. Liu worked for his political arm when he was governor and was recently laid off from Senator Kamala Harris’ campaign, where she had been finance director. | He asked one former adviser, Jennifer Liu, on Monday if she was willing to oversee his fund-raising. Ms. Liu worked for his political arm when he was governor and was recently laid off from Senator Kamala Harris’ campaign, where she had been finance director. |
| Beyond filling staff positions, Mr. Patrick would face an even more daunting challenge: raising the money to finance a primary campaign in which a number of large states like Texas and California vote in early March. Unlike Mr. Bloomberg, the former governor, who also worked in former President Bill Clinton’s Justice Department, he cannot underwrite his own campaign. | |
| And while he rose to prominence in Massachusetts with support from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Mr. Patrick would also face questions from Democrats about his work for Bain Capital, the private equity firm where Mitt Romney was also once employed. Mr. Patrick runs a fund at the company that invests in companies engaged in sustainability and community building. | And while he rose to prominence in Massachusetts with support from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party, Mr. Patrick would also face questions from Democrats about his work for Bain Capital, the private equity firm where Mitt Romney was also once employed. Mr. Patrick runs a fund at the company that invests in companies engaged in sustainability and community building. |
| He also once worked as general counsel to Texaco, a post likely to draw criticism at a moment many progressive activists are urging Democratic candidates to turn down donations from fossil fuel companies. | He also once worked as general counsel to Texaco, a post likely to draw criticism at a moment many progressive activists are urging Democratic candidates to turn down donations from fossil fuel companies. |
| Mr. Patrick traveled to some early nominating states last year but decided against a presidential bid last November, saying at the time that he did not want the “cruelty of our elections process” to adversely impact his family. | Mr. Patrick traveled to some early nominating states last year but decided against a presidential bid last November, saying at the time that he did not want the “cruelty of our elections process” to adversely impact his family. |
| But last month, when he was asked to fully rule out the prospect of a last-minute entry, Mr. Patrick said: “Don’t ask me that question” | But last month, when he was asked to fully rule out the prospect of a last-minute entry, Mr. Patrick said: “Don’t ask me that question” |
| Thomas Kaplan and Maggie Astor contributed reporting. | Thomas Kaplan and Maggie Astor contributed reporting. |