Narrowing the field of potential Democratic presidential contenders even further, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick took himself out of the running for the 2016 race Sunday.
"I've thought about it, but no, I can't get ready for 2016," he told NBC on Sunday. He said he didn't view governorship as a stepping-stone to a higher office. "I didn't run for the job just to get another job."
Patrick, 58, is stepping down after two terms and was considered an outside possibility to run. However, the buzz surrounding him diminished after the Democratic Party's nominee to succeed him, Martha Coakley, was defeated by Republican Charlie Baker in this fall's election.
Patrick distanced himself from Coakley's defeat Sunday, rejecting the notion that it somehow represented a reaction to his governorship. "I wasn't on the ballot [this year]. I ran against the governor-elect four years ago, and we had a different outcome then."
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