Kennedy-Markey Fights Threat Massachusetts Dems

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Senator Elizabeth Warren, who is at home, will be the star at the Massachusetts Democrats' rally for their state's annual convention on Saturday. But the good fortune of his presidential campaign will not be the only subject of discussion of the delegates.

Imminent primary confrontation between Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Joe Kennedy III holds his collective breath, waiting for a potentially epic and costly run that risks dividing the state's political class and spilling over to the ballot next year.

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Already, poll holders are questioning the implications for voter turnout and media coverage of their own races. Some question the potential effect on Democratic Party fundraising in the United States and the country, since Boston is an East Coast fundraising hub.

Kennedy has not yet confirmed that he would defy the 73-year-old senator. He should make a decision by the end of the month. But he is gearing up for a race just in case, and the prospect has increased the plot in a political election cycle that is already announcing itself for having an unusually high number of major challenges in Massachusetts.

"I must say that this is part of a trend I am disappointed with this epidemic of primaries in which there are no differences of subject." I told Congressman Kennedy that I was disappointed that he did it, "said former Congressman Barney Frank. "What this means is money and energy that Democrats should spend to beat Republicans – a lot of that money is diverted into these internal struggles."

Kennedy addressed these critics at the end of last month, after the news, that he was considering running for the Senate.

"I hear people saying that I should wait my turn, but with all due respect, I'm not sure it's a moment of waiting." Our system has dropped a lot of people for a long time, and we can not correct it if we do not dispute it, "wrote Kennedy in a Facebook message.

But donors are already worried that the race may suck up money, attention and resources in Massachusetts that could, according to some, be better deployed against President Donald Trump and in states where Democrats could overturn seats. in the Republican Senate.

"Ed is going to fight, fight, fight, and Joe has his reputation at stake," said a Boston-based donor who has not yet decided to support Kennedy or Markey. "Among the donors, we say to ourselves" Really? Really? "We have a lot of other fish to fry, and we would prefer it not to be so, but so be it."

"All the people I talk to tell me," I love Joe, I love Ed. "You know, I think you'll see the establishment type people gravitating towards Ed, and the more people of the non-type. -stablishment gravitate towards Joe ", added the donor.

Markey and Kennedy have largely avoided each other since Kennedy's interest in his seat became known. When Markey will address the convention on Saturday, Kennedy will not be in the room: he has scheduled office hours on the other side of the state. But the 38-year-old congressman will make an appearance at the convention later in the afternoon.

Early polls show an advantage for Kennedy. According to a poll conducted by the Boston Globe / Suffolk University just after Labor Day, it has a 14% lead over Markey. Steve Pemberton and Shannon Liss-Riordan, already announced as senators in the Senate, were led by Kennedy.

Markey has announced the endorsement of 116 legislators from the Democratic State and has the support of the Senate Democratic Campaign Committee, Warren and most of his Senate colleagues. On Friday, Markey received first-rate support from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, with whom he was a partner of the Green New Deal.

Although he did not declare his candidacy, Kennedy already has the support of a union that supported Markey in his special victory in the 2013 senatorial elections.

The majority of members of the Congress delegation, all Democrats-of the state – shaken last year by Republican Representative Ayanna Pressley against incumbent Mike Mike Capuano – support Markey.

Nevertheless, some privately express their relief at the prospect of a Senate race that could absorb media attention and deprive their main adversaries of critical oxygen, according to an assistant to a Congressman who faces a primary this cycle.

A Kennedy-Markey race may distract attention from other major challenges and become the dominant political history of the state, the assistant said.

But Frank warned that the contest could do the opposite and give a boost to those who attack the holders of Massachusetts.

"I think it kind of legitimizes the notion of challenge," said Frank. "There will be the notion of" Why are you running against a holder? "and they can say," Well, you agree with Joe Kennedy to do it. "This is legitimate for others."

Nearly every member of the House delegation has a challenger in this cycle, in a state where the congressional primaries were virtually unknown until Rep. Seth Moulton defeated incumbent President John Tierney in 2014. Tierney's nonprofit organization, the Council for a Living World, has made a rare endorsement to support Markey.

"I have nothing bad to say about Joe, he's a great MP," said Tierney. "It's unfortunate that they can run against each other."

"I have my own opinion, for obvious reasons, why it does not make sense to confront someone who makes the right votes," added Tierney. "We should reward hard-working people for continuing this path, why would you knock them out just because they've been in Congress for X years?"

Moulton, Tierney's successor, faces two main opponents announced, and Tierney himself is planning a comeback. Veteran representatives Richard Neal and Stephen Lynch also face the main challenges of the left. The first term representative, Lori Trahan, raises funds on the assumption that her main rival, Dan Koh, in 2018, will challenge her.

Pressley is one of the most remarkably silent legislators: she did not support Markey or Kennedy. When asked if a Senate primary would constitute reckless use of resources when President Donald Trump would be on the ballot, Pressley postponed the matter until later and said that she "will bet on the American people".

"I'm betting on the American people and I believe that the American people will continue to organize so that we can recover the White House There are also opportunities in the Senate … to convert the states from red to blue" , she said.

In the Kennedy Congressional District, which stretches from the Boston suburbs to the state's south coast, a primary primary to replace it is already playing out. More than a dozen people have expressed interest in reporting to his seat when he shows up in the Senate. A state legislator even issued a press release in which she declared her intention not to run for the seat, which is not yet open.

"So it will not only be the money that will be spent on the Kennedy-Markey race in advance, but millions of dollars will be spent by congressional candidates," Frank said.

The list of potential candidates is made up of a mix of lawmakers, activists and Democrats, who were scared by Kennedy when Frank retired in 2012 and who have been eager to come forward ever since.

State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg – who may have had a modest interest in her Saturday congress speech – will find her remarks under close scrutiny: she, too, reaches out to donors and agents since the beginning of August about a potential membership race. The seat of Kennedy.

"The 4th district is just going to be a scrum," said the undecided Boston donor. "And I think it's the one who will probably create the real divisions."