Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. Photo: Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Editor's Note: Patrick dropped out of the race on February 12th, 2020. Below is our original article on his candidacy.
Democrat Deval Patrick is a businessman and was the first black governor of Massachusetts. He has close personal ties to former President Obama and some of his closest advisers.
Key facts
- Current position: n/a
- Age: 63
- Born: Chicago, Ill.
- Education: Harvard University (BA, JD)
- Date candidacy announced: Nov. 14, 2019
- Previous roles: Managing director at Bain Capital (2015-2019); Governor of Massachusetts (2007-2015), board of directors of ACC Capital Holdings (2004-2006), executive vice president at Coca-Cola (2001-2004), general counsel at Texaco (1999-2001), U.S. Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division (1994-1997)
Stance on key issues
- Medicare for All: Called it a "terrific idea" last year, but only "alongside various of the private options that are available" under the Affordable Care Act.
- Signed legislation in Massachusetts linking cost increases in health care to the rate of growth of the state’s economy.
- Climate change: Has offered a proposal that aims at "a 100% carbon neutral-economy no later than 2040" by establishing a standard for clean energy and construction.
- Immigration: As governor, allowed undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts to qualify for in-state tuition.
- Proposed housing hundreds of undocumented immigrants at an in-state facility in response to an influx of migrants entering the U.S. in 2014.
- Has said he wants to overhaul U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but does not want to eliminate the agency.
- Gun control: Said after the Newtown shooting that he supports a renewal of the national ban on assault weapons.
- Education: Proposed doubling the number of charter schools in Massachusetts and imposing universal pre-K.
- Proposed making community college free in the state.
- Abortion: Signed a law allowing police to order anti-abortion protesters to be removed from entrances to clinics if they were blocking access to the building.
- Opioid crisis: Signed into law a requirement for insurers to provide up to 14 days of inpatient care for people with addictions.
- Taxes: Supports raising corporate tax rate to 25%.
- Reparations: Supports a plan for government-provided reparations to living descendants of slaves and supports a House bill calling for a commission to study the issue.
Key criticisms
- He entered the Democratic presidential field less than three months from the Iowa caucuses, missing the filing deadlines in Alabama and Arkansas.
- He has ties large corporations throughout his legal and business careers, which more progressive Democratic candidates have criticized during this election cycle.
1 fun thing
- A portion of a street in Patrick's Chicago hometown was renamed for him in 2013.
Go deeper: Everything you need to know about the other 2020 candidates