Nov 12, 2019 - Politics & Policy

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick ponders 2020 run

Former Mass. Governor Deval Patrick

Photo: Paul Marotta/Getty Images

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is thinking about joining the already crowded 2020 Democratic race for the presidency, reports the AP.

Why it matters: Some Democrats feel wary that no candidate has truly broken out in the race — all amid party handwringing that frontrunner Joe Biden's campaign is flagging, leaving the moderate lane open for a new challenger.

  • Patrick would be the second high-profile contender to consider joining the Democratic race late in recent days. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg filed last week to enter Alabama's primary.
  • There are fewer than three months until the first votes are cast, which would force Patrick to build out his campaign operations quickly.

Yes, but: His late entrance this cycle would mean that finding key staff could be difficult. Patrick's former chief of staff Doug Rubin already works for presidential candidate Tom Steyer.

What's next: While Patrick hasn't made a final decision about whether or not to run, he'll have to signal his intentions soon. The deadline to file for New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary is Friday.

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