Joseph Kennedy III Said to Be Eying Edward Markey's Massachusetts Senate Seat

[brooklynite]

New York Times

WASHINGTON — Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III of Massachusetts is considering a primary challenge next year against Senator Edward J. Markey, according to a senior Democratic official. Such a race could substantially alter the state’s political landscape and has the potential to elevate a fourth member of a Democratic dynasty to the Senate.

Mr. Kennedy, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, had publicly indicated that he intended to run for re-election next year. But in a conversation this week with the Democratic official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations, Mr. Kennedy, 38, said that he was weighing a campaign against Mr. Markey, 73, and would decide in the coming weeks.

A contest between the two Massachusetts lawmakers could become the nation’s most high-profile primary race and would represent another test of the Democratic Party’s old guard. And while Mr. Kennedy and Mr. Markey are both committed progressives, the race would amount to a generational showdown between a scion of the state’s most famous family and a more than four-decade-long fixture of Massachusetts politics.

A spokeswoman for Mr. Kennedy did not immediately respond to an email or call seeking comment.

Paul Tencher, a senior adviser to Mr. Markey’s campaign, said the senator would not be chased into retirement.

Link to tweet

[elleng]

1. Something ELSE to think about.

What will the party think about this?

[VarryOn]

2. Personally, I like the idea of a Kennedy back in the Senate.

Plus, Markey has been in Congress since 1976. That's long enough.

[Merlot]

3. Please tell me this isn't the anti-vaxer Kennedy?

[elleng]

4. It isn't;

that's Bobby, Jr.

[smirkymonkey]

5. No, this one is very promising.

I would like to see him as president one day. He has everything going for him.

[Thekaspervote]

6. Agree with you, would like to see him run for prez. Don't necessarily agree with a primary to a

Progressive senator like Markey

[LuvNewcastle]

7. I don't really like it, either.

Kennedy's still young. He can stay in the House until Markey retires. But it's up to the Democrats in Mass., of course.

[smirkymonkey]

8. Neither do I, really. But he's climbing the ladder and he's most likely going for

Senator next so he's got to go up against either Markey or Warren. The best case scenario would be if Warren was on the VP ticket and won, leaving the Senate seat open so that Kennedy could run for that.

[Merlot]

9. Yes, best case scenario would be Warren elected president

and leaving the seat open for him.