Nov 12, 2019

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick ponders 2020 run

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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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler, Rashaan Ayesh
Updated 54 mins ago - Politics & Policy

George Floyd updates

Protesters gather north of Lafayette Square near the White House during a demonstration against racism and police brutality, in Washington, D.C. on Saturday evening. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been rallying in cities across the U.S. and around the world to protest the killing of George Floyd. Huge crowds assembled in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and Chicago for full-day events on Saturday.

Why it matters: Twelve days of nationwide protest in the U.S. has built pressure for states to make changes on what kind of force law enforcement can use on civilians and prompted officials to review police conduct. A memorial service was held for Floyd in Raeford, North Carolina, near where he was born. Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all flags to fly at half-staff to honor him until sunset.

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Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 6,889,889 — Total deaths: 399,642 — Total recoveries — 3,085,326 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 11:30 p.m. ET: 1,920,061 — Total deaths: 109,802 — Total recoveries: 500,849 — Total tested: 19,778,873 — Map.
  3. Public health: Why the pandemic is hitting minorities harder — Coronavirus curve rises in Florida — How racism threatens the response to the pandemic — Some people are drinking and inhaling cleaning products in attempt to fight the virus.
  4. Tech: The pandemic is accelerating next-generation disease diagnostics — Robotics looks to copy software-as-a-service model.
  5. Business: Budgets busted by coronavirus make it harder for cities to address inequality — Sports, film production in California to resume June 12 after 3-month hiatus.
  6. Education: Students and teachers flunked remote learning.
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Rashaan Ayesh, Rebecca Falconer
Updated 5 hours ago - World

In photos: People around the world rally against racism

Despite a ban on large gatherings implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic, protesters rally against racism in front of the American Embassy in Paris on June 6. Photo: Julien Mattia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tens of thousands of people have continued to rally in cities across the world against racism and show their support this week for U.S. demonstrators protesting the death in police custody of George Floyd.

Why it matters: The tense situation in the U.S. has brought the discussion of racism and discrimination onto the global stage at a time when most of the world is consumed by the novel coronavirus.

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