In the latest series of unexpected twists for the Democratic Party in the month of November, former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has suddenly announced his bid for the presidential nomination in 2020.
According to Reuters, Patrick – the first African-American governor in Massachusetts state history – is close friends with former President Barack Obama and “widely respected within the Democratic Party.”
As it currently stands, the field of 17 candidates (now 18 with Patrick’s entry) is decisively led by two candidates in a statistical tie: Former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
The former vice president’s campaign has been collapsing amidst a seemingly endless series of gaffes and revelations about his son’s suspicious business dealings in Ukraine, which are at the heart of the ongoing impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. While Biden is seen as representing an older and more moderate wing of the party, Warren represents the rising socialist left and has been gaining steam with the grassroots.
Biden’s fall and Warren’s rise have concerned many in the party leadership, who fear that the former is not up to the task, and that the latter would not fare well in a general election against President Trump. These fears have led to intense speculation that former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will jump into the race, which he has signaled he may do by filing to run in the primaries of Alabama, Arkansas, and Michigan. Former Attorney General Eric Holder is also considering a run.
Ten major candidates have already dropped out, with the most recent being former Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas). Others still in the field include Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D-Ind.).