Another Democrat has entered the already crowded pool of presidential candidates. Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick announced he is joining the esteemed list of candidates bidding for the White House. 

The prominent Black Democrat has political ties with former president Barack Obama, according to CBS News. 

Patrick posted a video online Thursday morning acknowledging the tough road ahead for the Democratic nomination. 

"This won't be easy and it shouldn't be, but I’m placing my faith in the people who feel left out and left back, who just want a fair shot at a better future not built by somebody bet," Patrick said. 

“I admire and respect the candidates in the Democratic field; they bring a richness of ideas and experience and a depth of character that makes me proud to be a Democrat,” he said. “But if the character of the candidates is an issue in every election, this time is about the character of the country. This time is about whether the day after the election, America will keep her promises."

However, according to the Washington Post, the 63-year-old deemed former vice president Joe Biden as "out of touch" and Senator Elizabeth Warren as "too dug in on her ideas."

Patrick reportedly spoke with Warren Wednesday night before announcing his campaign. The politician defended Warren against claims of her Native American heritage. His entry into the presidential campaign will also force residents of Massachusetts to decide between the two state lawmakers.

On CBS, Patrick said he favored a public insurance option over Medicare-for-all and stated his position against a wealth tax.

According to the Washington Post, Patrick is expected to face backlash for his corporate ties. He previously worked for Texaco, Coca-Cola and served as a board member for Ameriquest. 

Despite his political career and corporate background, the Chicago native said that he grew up on welfare while attending overcrowded schools. 

“My grandmother used to tell us we were not poor, just broke, because broke, she said, was temporary,” he said.

The former governor considered a bid back in 2018 but decided against it initially citing "the cruelty of our elections process" and its effect on his family, the Washington Post reported. 

His wife, Diane, was reportedly hospitalized for depression after his 2006 gubernatorial campaign. In 2018, she was also diagnosed with Stage 1 uterine cancer. Patrick also has two daughters in their early 30s; both were against him placing a bid but are now supportive of his decision. 

His late entry into the race could potentially hurt his chances of gaining the traction and financial requirements needed to take the debate stage. 

“When I was thinking about it many months ago — one of the questions was: ‘How do you break through in a field this large and this talented without being a celebrity or a sensationalist?’” he said on CBS in June. “And I’m none of those things.”

During his eight years as a governor, Patrick implemented a healthcare plan that served a model for Obamacare. He also raised Massachusettes' minimum wage to $11 per hour, according to CBS News.

In 1994, the two-term former governor was appointed by Bill Clinton as the lead of the Justice Department's civil rights division. 

Patrick hopes to gain support from the Black community, specifically in South Carolina — a state both senators Kamala Harris and Cory Booker struggle with.