Over the weekend, both The New York Times and the Boston Globe reported that Rep. Joe Kennedy III is considering launching a Democratic primary bid against Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey and would decide in “the coming weeks.” An unnamed senior Democratic official also confirmed that Kennedy had paid for an unreleased poll testing him against Markey. Markey already faces labor attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan and business executive Steve Pemberton in the primary.
Kennedy’s team is not denying that he’s interested in taking on the incumbent. Emily Kaufman, Kennedy’s spokesperson, said that her boss was seeking re-election “right now,” and added, “He’s grateful for the recent show of support from folks across Massachusetts.”
Politico’s Stephanie Murray also reports that there’s speculation in Democratic circles that Kennedy is really hoping to pressure Markey, who will be 74 on Election Day, into retiring. However, Markey’s team insists that he’s going to run for re-election “no matter who enters the race.”
Kennedy is a grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and a grandnephew of John F. Kennedy and longtime Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, and he was mentioned as a rising star in Democratic politics even before he was elected to the House in 2012. Kennedy is well-connected, and he ended June with a small $4.2 million to $4.1 million cash-on-hand edge over Markey.
However, Markey has plenty of prominent Bay State Democrats on his side, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren. On Monday, after days of chatter about Kennedy’s prospective Senate campaign, Markey released a video where Warren declared, “I’ve got his back, and I know that he will always have yours. Let’s get Ed Markey re-elected to the Senate.” And while Boston Mayor Marty Walsh didn’t quite rule out running here in the early summer, he said Sunday that he was supporting Markey.
Kennedy may also not be the only high-profile House member eyeing this race or a possible 2021 special election to succeed Warren if she’s elected president or joins a Democratic administration. The New York Times writes that freshman Rep. Ayanna Pressley “is widely thought to also be eying a Senate bid, whether if against Mr. Markey or if Ms. Warren were to be elected president.” Pressley herself hasn’t said anything about challenging Markey, though like Kennedy, she hasn’t endorsed the senator’s re-election campaign.
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