Gov Patrick’s biography is a classic rags-to-riches story that makes for a compelling stump speech. Raised by a single mother on Chicago’s South Side, he frequently slept on the floor because there were not enough beds. With some lucky breaks — including a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school — he eventually graduated from Harvard Law School. Gov Patrick served as the 71st governor of Massachusetts, from 2007 to 2015. He was the first African American Governor of Massachusetts. A Democrat, Patrick served from 1994 to 1997 as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division under President Bill Clinton. He was a candidate for President of the United States in the 2020 U.S. presidential election.