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Patrick is the 1st African American to run for Governor in Mass.

Deval Patrick, who rose from the welfare rolls in Chicago to the top levels of government and the inner sanctums of corporate boardrooms, opened his campaign for governor yesterday with a call for universal healthcare and an expansion of education programs and said he would be open to new taxes or cuts in services to pay for them. Patrick, 48, the first African-American candidate for governor in the state's history, also took a swipe at his probable Democratic primary opponent, Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly, who he said represents the old politics and has a record of caution and an insider focus. ''When I talk about the politics of hope, I am talking about an alternative to the politics of partisan blood sport, which I think is the real reason why a lot of people have given up [and decided] there is no reason to care about state government," Patrick said in an interview with the Globe at his downtown campaign headquarters. [more]

Will being black help or hurt Deval Patrick? [more]