Deval Patrick
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| Deval Patrick | |
|---|---|
| Name | Deval Patrick |
| Office | 71st Governor of Massachusetts |
| Term start | January 4, 2007 |
| Term end | January 8, 2015 |
| Lieutenant | Tim Murray, William F. "Bill" Weld |
| Predecessor | Mitt Romney |
| Successor | Charlie Baker |
| Office2 | United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division |
| Term start2 | 1994 |
| Term end2 | 1997 |
| President2 | Bill Clinton |
| Predecessor2 | John R. Dunne |
| Successor2 | Bill Lann Lee |
| Birth date | 31 July 1956 |
| Birth place | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Diane Bemus |
| Education | Harvard University (BA, JD) |
Deval Patrick is an American politician, lawyer, and businessman who served as the 71st Governor of Massachusetts from 2007 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the state's first African American governor and only the second elected African American governor in U.S. history. His tenure was marked by significant policy initiatives in health care reform, renewable energy, and education reform, alongside navigating the challenges of the Great Recession.
Early life and education
Born in the South Side of Chicago, he was raised primarily by his mother and grandparents after his father, a musician, left the family. He attended Milton Academy in Massachusetts through the A Better Chance program, which seeks to place promising students of color in elite preparatory schools. Patrick later earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College in 1978 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1982, where he was a member of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau.
Legal and corporate career
Following law school, he served as a law clerk for Judge Stephen Reinhardt of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He then joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and later the law firm Hill & Barlow. In 1994, President Bill Clinton appointed him as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, where he oversaw cases involving police misconduct and voting rights. After his government service, he worked as a senior executive and general counsel at Texaco and later at The Coca-Cola Company, focusing on corporate governance and diversity initiatives.
Governor of Massachusetts
Elected in 2006, he succeeded Republican Mitt Romney and was re-elected in 2010 against challenger Charlie Baker. His administration successfully implemented the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act, a model for the federal Affordable Care Act. He signed the Green Communities Act to promote renewable energy and the Education Reform Act of 2010 to improve underperforming school districts. His tenure also included managing the state's response to the Great Recession, the Boston Marathon bombing, and the failure of the American Superconductor project in Devens, Massachusetts.
2020 presidential campaign
In November 2019, he launched a late-entry campaign for the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries, positioning himself as a unifying figure with executive experience. His campaign focused on themes of economic equity and national unity but struggled to gain traction in a crowded field that included Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren. He suspended his campaign in February 2020 after poor showings in the 2020 New Hampshire Democratic primary and 2020 South Carolina Democratic primary.
Post-gubernatorial activities
After leaving the Massachusetts State House, he joined the venture capital firm Bain Capital to lead its social impact investing fund, Bain Capital Double Impact. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including Amnesty International USA and the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation. He remains active in public speaking and commentary, frequently appearing on networks like MSNBC and CNN.
Political positions
He is known for a progressive political philosophy that emphasizes public investment, civil rights, and environmental stewardship. He is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, gun control measures like an assault weapons ban, and comprehensive immigration reform. On economic issues, he advocates for raising the minimum wage, investing in public transportation infrastructure like the MBTA, and addressing income inequality. He has been critical of the Citizens United v. FEC decision and supports overturning it through a constitutional amendment.
Category:1956 births Category:Living people Category:Governors of Massachusetts Category:Harvard University alumni Category:American civil rights lawyers Category:Democratic Party governors of Massachusetts