Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s former aides and supporters are planning to support his efforts to promote Democratic congressional candidates across the country, with an eye on a presidential bid in 2020, Politico reports.
Reason to Believe PAC, which launched on Wednesday, held a conference call on Thursday with dozens of Patrick’s former aides. Doug Rubin, Patrick’s former senior strategist during his two gubernatorial campaigns and his former chief of staff, told the over 80 people on the call that the PAC’s aim is to help congressional candidates, while also researching policy, polling and messaging.
Patrick will make stops in districts across the country, including South Carolina and Georgia, and the PAC will track his movements in order to arrange events in the districts he visits, and the ones he’s unable to get to in the 10 weeks before Election Day. According to John Walsh, one of the PAC’s founders and the former chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, the PAC will raise an estimated $1.5 million or more.
Since leaving office, Patrick has taken a position at Bain Capital while exploring a presidential bid, having met with former President Barack Obama earlier this year along with several other potential candidates.
"Right now my focus is on the midterms ... helping in a small number of races where I can, consistent with my day job," Patrick told CNN in early August.