Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s entry into the 2020 presidential race has been criticized by major media covering Democratic campaigns. But Patrick just might have a few surprises in store for the political gurus and fellow candidates.
Massachusetts voters recall Patrick as the liberal, consensus-building governor who helped guide Massachusetts through the 2013 Marathon Bombing crisis and who counted former President Obama as a friend.
Everyone knows Massachusetts voters’ views are often in a very small league of their own when it comes to national politics. We’re the state that stood by George McGovern in his 1972 presidential bid when the rest of the nation voted for Richard Nixon, although that didn’t look too bad in hindsight, did it? And since John F. Kennedy, candidates from Massachusetts are o-fer: Ted Kennedy, Michael Dukakis, Mitt Romney and John Kerry. Time (voters actually) will tell on Elizabeth Warren.
Patrick may have served in office in Massachusetts, but he has national connections in politics and business that translate into a network of valuable and powerful people underpinning his candidacy.
Patrick’s advantage in his presidential bid may be the fact that he possesses an array of political skills.
He is a warm and convincing orator.
He is a proven political organizer who can win elections.
If Patrick has a stock-in-trade, politically speaking, it is probably his ability to listen well and demonstrate empathy with people. He has his pundits and critics, but it is hard to meet the man and not come away liking him.
But Patrick’s warm demeanor masks a sharp political mind capable of calculating how voters think and feel. His decision to jump into the presidential race less than two months before the year ends and the 2020 campaign roars forward involved several calculations.
Patrick is sure to have assessed the weaknesses and strengths of fellow Democrats and gauged their appeal to date with voters. He can assess as well as any political strategist which candidate is teetering on the edge of dropping out of the race and which ones will throw their allegiances to a stronger candidate once they exit the race.
His previous runs for office have taught Patrick to assess voter fatigue and get a pretty good idea about when he can hit the reset button and make sure his message stands out in the crowd.
Of course, Patrick faces all the daunting obstacles that have already been pointed out concerning his candidacy. He is way behind competitors in the money-raising field. He is way behind them when it comes to organizing campaign logistics and he has yet to walk onto a debate stage.
But guess what? Patrick’s debut coincides perfectly with the holiday season when candidate-weary voters will be focused on family and shopping and not politicians. That potentially gives him time to get organized and position himself for the new year.
He is also entering the race as the Trump impeachment hearings roll in the direction of the U.S. Senate and the potential for a historic vote that will change the tenor of the 2020 race.
Patrick’s like the marathoner who runs in the middle of the pack with a clear eye on the front runners and their potential to burn out and fade away before the race hits the final stretch.
It’s easy to brand him as a Johnny-come-lately to the party. But remember, Deval Patrick’s been to the party before and he knows how to arrive fashionably late and make the most of the festivities.