Charlie Neibergall/AP Photo
Democratic presidential candidate former Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick speaks to local residents during a stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, November 18, 2019.
Whatever the Democratic field needed, it wasn’t a socially liberal Wall Street billionaire hoping to buy the Democratic nomination. Donald Trump got elected in large part because working-class voters considered Democrats too liberal on social issues and not giving a damn about the way elites were thriving at the expense of ordinary working people.
Mike Bloomberg is perfect—for Trump: very liberal on the environment, guns, etc., and very protective of the business model that produces billionaires like himself. He’s also the perfect foil for Warren.
And he will dilute the votes that go to Warren’s main rival for front-runner, a fast-fading Joe Biden. Indeed, Bloomberg’s Wall Street pals begged him to get in because they saw Biden collapsing. Advantage Warren.
Then we have Deval Patrick—another corporate Democrat (with Bain Capital) but formerly an effective and progressive Massachusetts governor, and a formidable campaigner. Patrick is betting that he will do very well in the Southern primaries beginning in March, where a majority of Democratic primary voters are African American.
This will also come at Biden’s expense. Advantage Warren, again.
And as the fresh face du jour, Patrick may also pull some votes from the season’s current novelty, Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Advantage … you get it.