Congress

‘Jump in, Joe!': Rep. Kennedy Reportedly Eyeing Markey's Senate Seat in 2020

A spokeswoman for Congressman Kennedy tells NBC10 Boston that right now he is running for re-election for his seat, but he is grateful for the support

Democratic Rep. Joe Kennedy III is rumored to be considering running for Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey's seat in 2020.

As one of the last members of the Kennedy political dynasty, rumors are swirling that he could be putting the family name back in the Senate.

The potential matchup would be a race watched across the country, pitting a long-time democratic senator against a famous democratic name.

Rep. Kennedy, who first arrived in Congress in 2012, already seems to have a lot of support.

Voter Kim Spencer is ready to get him to the Senate. The Newton native helped start a "Jump in, Joe!" group that launched a petition, a website and Facebook page that has gained hundreds of followers this week.

The group urges the congressman to take on Sen. Markey for his seat.

“What’s going on in the country is not working for sure so what we think is someone with vitality and energy and clarity can be a real force for progressiveness and for change,” Spencer said.

The challenge sounds pretty familiar according to political historian Tom Whalen, who says he would expect nothing less from one of the most famous families in American politics.

At age 38, Kenendy could be well poised to bring his family name back to the senate given that Markey at 73 could have a problem with younger voters.

“Think of what Ayanna Pressley did in her race for Congress. She pulled off a huge upset against Mike Capuano," Whalen said. "It seems like right now there is a hungry generation in the democratic party that want to not wait in line and just kind of take it now."

For now, Markey isn’t backing down, though, aligning himself with new members of Congress.

Sunday, he said his focus is on the policy, not politics of a race

“My fights are the fights of Massachusetts today. It's on gun safety, it's on the green new deal,” the senator said.

But with some voters already thinking of his potential challenger, another Kennedy could be thinking of a win.

“Kennedy's going back to his great Uncle John, they don’t wait in line” Whalen said referencing former president John F. Kennedy.

NBC10 Boston reached out to Rep. Kennedy’s office for comment, and a spokeswoman said that right now the representative is running for re-election for his seat, but he is grateful for the support.

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