Patrick’s decision comes after former Vice President Joe Biden decided to reverse course last month and accept funding from super PACs.

Other Democratic contenders — particularly Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont — have railed against accepting “dark money” from undisclosed donors.

Patrick, who has just entered the crowded Democratic presidential field, revealed he was set to announce his candidacy last year but had to delay because of his wife’s health.

“First of all, you may know, Chuck, we were really close, you know, I mean like a week or two from announcing a year ago. And just at the eve, literally, my wife was diagnosed with uterine cancer,” Patrick said. “And that had to be first priority.”

Patrick said his wife, Diane, who is now cancer-free, encouraged him to seek the presidency after seeing an experience gap in the crop of Democratic contenders.

“She has said watching the debates and watching so many of our friends compete and contest and the friction that comes from that, that she was glad I was not involved at that time,” Patrick said. “But she's also been one of the ones listening closely and responding to folks who have said there is a lane for you, more to the point, that the nation needs experience, not just a sensibility around bridge building but actually some results in that respect.”