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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 14 November 2019

AP sources: Ex-Gov. Patrick says he’ll make presidential bid

By JULIE PACE, BILL BAR- rank-and-file Democrats
ROW and STEVE PEOPLES see Biden, Warren and oth-
WASHINGTON (AP) — For- ers as unable to take down
mer Massachusetts Gov. President Donald Trump.
Deval Patrick has told al- Besides, Hinojosa said,
lies he will join the 2020 “most of the people you
presidential race, accord- need to build out a cam-
ing to two people familiar paign have already cho-
with his plans. An official sen sides.”
announcement is expect- A former managing direc-
ed before Friday, the fil- tor for Bain Capital, Patrick
ing deadline for the New has close ties to Wall Street
Hampshire primary. donors. As the first black
Patrick’s move injects a governor of Massachusetts
new layer of uncertainty and only the nation’s sec-
into the contest less than ond elected black gover-
three months before the nor since Reconstruction,
first votes. A popular two- Patrick also could run as a
term Democratic governor historic boundary breaker
with a moderate bearing trying to dent Biden’s sup-
and close ties to former port among African Ameri-
President Barack Obama, cans — though Harris and
he is starting late but with Booker, the only two black
a compelling life story and Democrats in the Senate,
political resume. have been unable to do
The two people with knowl- In this May 7, 2017 file photo, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick arrives at the John F. Ken- that thus far.
edge of Patrick’s plans nedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston for the 2017 Profile in Courage award ceremony. A Biden aide confirmed
spoke to The Associated Associated Press that Patrick had talked to
Press on Wednesday on Biden in recent days about
condition of anonymity to mary. But he’s facing spir- head to the polls. Bloom- second-largest number of the possibility of entering
discuss private conversa- ited challenges from Pat- berg’s team has said they Super Tuesday delegates the race, though it wasn’t
tions. rick’s home-state senator, will skip the early states of behind California, said he clear Wednesday whether
In addition to Patrick, Mi- Elizabeth Warren, and Ver- Iowa, New Hampshire, Ne- hadn’t heard from Pat- the two men had talked
chael Bloomberg, the bil- mont Sen. Bernie Sanders, vada and South Carolina rick or his representatives. since Patrick had decided
lionaire former mayor of progressives whose calls to focus on the Super Tues- “People are fine with the that he would run. A Booker
New York City, has taken for fundamental econom- day roster. field,” Hinojosa said, argu- aide said Wednesday that
steps toward launching ic change have alarmed It’s also a near certainty ing that donors and media Patrick had not called the
a last-minute presidential moderates and wealthy that Patrick — and possi- are mistaken to think that New Jersey senator.q
campaign, filing candi- donors. bly Bloomberg — wouldn’t
date papers in Alabama Patrick could present him- make a Democratic de-
and Arkansas. Even 2016 self as a potential bridge bate stage until January, if
nominee Hillary Clinton across the moderate, liber- at all, because of debate
this week said in a BBC in- al and progressive factions rules set by the party.
terview that she is “under — as candidates like Mayor Those dynamics left some
enormous pressure from Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Kamala prominent Democrats
many, many, many people Harris and Sen. Cory Booker questioning Patrick’s vi-
to think about it,” adding are trying to do. ability, while some existing
that she has no such plans But the former governor campaigns privately of-
but still would “never, nev- faces significant hurdles to fered outright mockery and
er, never say never.” raise enormous amounts derision.
The moves reflect uncer- of money quickly and to “Stop. We have enough
tainty about the direction build an organization in candidates,” said Kathy
of the Democratic contest the traditional early voting Sullivan, a Democratic Na-
with no commanding front- states that most of his rivals tional Committee mem-
runner. Joe Biden entered have focused on for the ber from New Hampshire,
the race as the presump- past year. And he’ll have which hosts the party’s first
tive favorite and maintains to pivot to the expensive presidential primary follow-
significant support from and logistically daunting ing the Iowa caucuses.
white moderates and black Super Tuesday contests, Texas Democratic Chair-
voters, whose backing is when voters in more than a man Gilberto Hinojosa,
critical in a Democratic pri- dozen states and territories whose state boasts the