6:35 a.m.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval (deh-VAL') Patrick is making a late entry into the Democratic presidential race.

Patrick announced his bid Thursday in an online video.

Patrick made history as the first black governor of Massachusetts and has close ties to former President Barack Obama and his network of political advisers. But he faces significant fundraising and organizational hurdles less than three months before voting begins.

Patrick’s announcement comes as some Democrats worry about the strength of the party’s current field of contenders. Another Democrat — former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg — is also weighing a last-minute bid for the party’s nomination.

12:05 a.m.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is telling allies he plans to seek the Democratic presidential nomination.

That’s according to a person with knowledge of his plans who spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

A Patrick bid would be a reversal for the popular two-term governor. He had earlier flirted with the idea of launching a White House bid before deciding late last year against jumping into the race, citing what he called the “cruelty” of the election process.

The 63-year-old Patrick, who made history as the state’s first black governor from 2007 to 2015, traveled across the country in support of Democratic candidates during the 2018 midterm elections. He is a close ally of former President Barack Obama.