Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick announces presidential bid

Image: Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick attends the W.E.B. Du Bois Meda
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick attends the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal Ceremony and introduces John Lewis at Harvard University's Sanders Theater. Copyright Paul Marotta Getty Images file
By Ali Vitali and F. Brinley Bruton with NBC News Politics
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His late entry presents big hurdles, both in fundraising and in building a campaign organization.

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Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrickannounced Thursday that he will run for the Democratic nomination for president.

His decision to enter the primary comes against the backdrop of the realities of the political calendar — the filing deadline in all-important New Hampshire is Friday — as well as continued consternation from some Democrats about whether the current field presents viable options to beat President Donald Trump in 2020.

Patrick ruled out a presidential bid earlier this year, telling NBC10 at the time that he had concerns about the negativity of a campaign and the impact of that on his family.

His late entry presents big hurdles, both in fundraising and when it comes to building a campaign organization that can keep pace with other candidates who have been running for almost a year.

On his campaign websiteon Thursday morning, Patrick said, "This race is not just about the character of any one individual, but about the character of the country. This is our chance to reclaim the American Dream."

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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