Deval Patrick beefs up campaign staff

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) has hired several key staffers in the wake of his late entry into the already-crowded 2020 Democratic field, according to a press email, released by his campaign. 

Two former staffers for now-defunct presidential campaigns are joining Patrick’s campaign, with Aleigha Cavalier, an alumna of former Rep. Beto O’Rourke’s (D-Texas) presidential campaign, joins Patrick as communications director.

{mosads}Campaign manager Abe Rakov, who previously served as a senior adviser to the O’Rourke campaign, was the only campaign staffer already announced.

Samantha Joseph, former national operations director for Rep. Seth Moulton’s (D-Mass.) presidential campaign, meanwhile, will join the Patrick campaign as director of states, according to the press release.

Chelsie Ouellette, who served as speechwriter and deputy press secretary for Patrick when he was governor, will join the campaign as national organizing director. Porsha White, national political director for the voting rights group Let America Vote, will serve as the campaign’s deputy political director.

The hires come as Patrick, who has not opened any campaign offices and has missed several states’ primary ballot deadlines, starts at a disadvantage, particularly compared to another late entrant, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has his own billions at his disposal.