Gov. Patrick Raised $380,000 For His PAC

Gov. Deval Patrick raised $379,658 for his political action committee in 2013 with the help of donations from labor unions, business executives, and groups representing the pharmaceutical, health care and energy sectors.

Patrick formed the Together PAC in 2011 to help pay for travels around the country campaigning on behalf of President Barack Obama. He has said he wants to "repurpose" it to focus on supporting what he calls "grass-roots, conviction-based politics here in the commonwealth and elsewhere."

Patrick, who is not seeking re-election this year, ended 2013 with about $315,436 in cash left in the account of his Together PAC, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Among the individuals donating to Patrick's PAC were lawyers, real estate managers, venture capitalists, and construction CEOs. Former interim U.S. Sen. William "Mo" Cowan - Patrick's former chief of staff - donated $1,000, as did University of Massachusetts President Robert Caret.

Groups donating to Patrick's PAC included other political action committees - including those representing laborers, the building and construction trades, solar energy industries and pharmaceutical companies.

Patrick used the money to pay for his travels and for the salaries of his committee staff. Other expenses included fees for rent at a storage company, office supplies, food for meetings, turnpike tolls, hotel rooms, airline tickets, and events, including a $16,328 catering bill at the Fairmont Copley Plaza.

John Walsh, executive director of the PAC, said one main goal is to help support candidates who match Patrick's views on "person-to-person politics." Walsh, the former head of the Massachusetts Democratic Party and a long-time Patrick political operative, said Patrick has been careful to keep a "bright line" between his political activities and his job as governor.

Walsh said Patrick is popular in the Democratic Party and remains in demand partly because of progress Massachusetts has made in a number of areas, from health care to education

Walsh said its "pretty unlikely" Patrick will throw his weight behind candidates in the Democratic primaries, instead waiting for the general election.