Posted on 09/01/2020 7:28:35 PM PDT by robowombat
2020 U.S. Senate Race: Ed Markey Defeats Joe Kennedy In Primary Live results: Sen. Ed Markey has handed Rep. Joe Kennedy the first election loss for a Kennedy in Massachusetts history.
By Mike Carraggi, Patch Staff
Sep 1, 2020 8:00 pm ET |
MASSACHUSETTS — Sen. Ed Markey has done what no Massachusetts politician has done before: Defeat a Kennedy. Markey survived a fierce challenge by Rep. Joe Kennedy in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate. Kennedy has called Markey to concede the race, according to multiple reports.
The victory sets up Markey, 74, to retain his seat following an unexpected challenge that turned contentious down the stretch.
For Kennedy, 39, it leaves the bearer of the most recognizable name in American politics on the outside looking in. And for the Kennedy dynasty, it's the first time losing an election in Massachusetts.
T-Mobile | Featured Advertiser T-Mobile and Sprint have merged! Now T-Mobile’s network isn’t just bigger, it’s even better than before! With more towers, more engineers, more coverage and amazing prices. Learn More The congressman will be succeeded in the 4th District, which saw a horde of candidates take aim at a rarely available House seat.
Markey will face Kevin O'Connor, an attorney who defeated Shiva Ayyadurai in a Republican primary, in the November general election.
Subscribe Massachusetts primary:
Polls Close, Some Problems Reported Congressional Races: Neal, Lynch Fend Off Progressive Challengers Kennedy had spent months trying to convince voters it's time for a change by showing out his progressive bona fides. Markey countered by arguing his lengthy record should trump Kennedy's dynastic name.
Both appeared to have made a case for themselves, each enjoying solid leads in the polls at various points. But Kennedy's advantage peaked far too early, and he couldn't dig himself out of what was a double-digit hole as recently as this weekend.
Kennedy's challenge raised more than a few eyebrows among Democrats, who wondered if his opposition was for the good of the party or the candidate.
The race started out as trivial to some. Why would Kennedy, safely seated in his district, try to take down a popular progressive with whom he has admittedly few policy splits, during an election season where Democrats are desperate to uproot Donald Trump?
"The difference between me and Senator Markey isn't political ideology," Kennedy tweeted 72 hours before Election Day. "It's the way we serve and show up for the people who need help most."
The tweet was an extension of Kennedy's digs at where Markey spends his time following a Boston Globe story detailing how relatively few nights the senator spent in Massachusetts over the past three-plus years.
And that's largely where Kennedy kept his attacks, on the periphery, avoiding many direct hits on Markey's record.
But even as both candidates danced around an all-out offensive, the race corroded into a barrage of at times bitter accusations in the dog days of summer.
Kennedy's campaign accused Markey's of fostering a vitriolic tone that fueled online harassment and death threats toward the congressman. Markey's campaign distanced itself from his purported supporters, while the senator himself condemned the negative attacks during a debate.
It took Markey until August to take aim at what he argued was Kennedy coasting on his political bloodlines. Markey landed the viral haymaker of the race during a debate in which he challenged Kennedy to tell his father not to contribute to a PAC working against the senator.
Kennedy leaned into the opportunity to tout his family's accomplishments, dating all the way back to his great uncle President John F. Kennedy and grandfather U.S. Sen. and Attorney General Bobby Kennedy.
But the race was always about the future of the party, not the past — something both candidates publicly embraced.
To that end, Markey won key early endorsements in Warren and Ocasio-Cortez, who threw their considerable weight behind the senator. Kennedy's highest-profile endorsement also came from a big name, but one much closer to the establishment: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
With two well-liked Democrats going at it in a race many in the party didn't see as necessary, something had to give.
While the Kennedys were unblemished in elections, Markey had not lost one since voters first delivered him to the State House as a representative in 1973. He went to Washington as a congressman three years later and took Sen. John Kerry's seat after Kerry was tapped as President Barack Obama's Secretary of State.
Well - at least they wasted energy and resources fighting each other.
I was not expecting to read the words “Kennedys” and “unblemished” in the same sentence.
So the one Endorsed by O’Crazy-O, won...
Is the Kennedy Camelot fairytale losing its luster in Mass?
Was Mary Jo’s killer mentioned?
Howie Carr will have a fun show tomorrow!
Kennedy needed to go. Right now. Please, God, let that be the end of them.
Big whoop. So instead of two very far-left Democrats as the Senators from Massachusetts, you have a far-left and a very far-left Democrat.
Same with the Congressional seats. Instead of 9 very far-lefties, you have 1 or 2 that aren’t quite as far-left. Still not a Republican in sight, including Governor Baker.
Methinks Uncle Teddy’s 1965(?) immigration insanity has finally affected them.
Well, that Kennedy, when first running for the House, did send Howie Carr a cake.
All the local news and talk personalities, and other influencers, got a Kennedy kake at the time as a means of introduction.
“Sen. Ed Markey has handed Rep. Joe Kennedy the first election loss for a Kennedy in Massachusetts history.”
Maybe I’ll send this guy five bucks!
No need to send him 5 bucks he is getting plenty of money from Soros and AOC wing of the party AOC campaigned for this guy endlessly these Marxists winning even in MA. is very worrisome !!{
At long last, Camelot is dead!
Don’t bet on it. It may not be Massachusetts but Caroline Kennedy’s kid is warming upon the bullpen in NY.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.