Democrat Deval Patrick had to cancel one of his first campaign events — because no one showed up

As Democratic presidential candidates addressed a national audience at the fifth 2020 primary debate, one candidate couldn't even find a single person to talk to.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick made a late entry into the 2020 race last week after expressing some dissatisfaction with the current field. But as his empty visit to Morehouse College on Wednesday showed, not everyone believes it's his time.

Patrick was supposed to make one of his first campaign stops at the historically black college in Atlanta on Wednesday, not far from where the upper echelons of the Democratic field were debating. But as CNN reports, once Patrick got there and found out he wouldn't have much of an audience, he canceled the talk.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Patrick has said he's aware his late run is like a "Hail Mary from two stadiums over," and he's apparently decided there's no point in even leaving the locker room if no one's there to watch.