The Story:
Senator Ed Markey (D – MA) has fallen behind Joe Kennedy III is the latest poll of opinion heading into a primary for the Democratic nomination for Markey’s seat. Kennedy is favored by 58% of respondents.
Background:
Markey first became a US Senator in 2013 after a special election. The then-incumbent, John Kerry, had just resigned the seat to become President Obama’s Secretary of State. Markey won that race and ran again, successfully, a year later for a full six-year term, which will come to an end in January 2021.
In this primary, Markey has the support of his Senate colleague Elizabeth Warren, and of most of the Democratic Party establishment in the state.
Kennedy has the endorsement for a former Governor, Bill Weld (R). In general, the Kennedy campaign is not endorsement heavy.
The Thing to Know:
Whoever wins the primary, scheduled for September 1, this seat is widely considered safe for the Democratic Party. Not only is Massachusetts usually a quite ‘blue’ state; this year animus towards President Trump is running very strong there, which should make it a deeper blue down the ballot. A win in the primary would be virtually tantamount to election for the Kennedy family scion, or reelection for the incumbent.
