Joe Kennedy Confirms Interest In Running For Liberal Dem Incumbent’s Senate Seat

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Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-MA) filed the necessary paperwork to prepare for a possible Senate run this week, according to the Boston Globe.

This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=1244904
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I would be a lot happier if Kennedy did everything to help get Warren elected and then ran for her vacated Senate seat.

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I replied to Joe’s FB post (and I hardly ever go to FB) telling him that while I am a great supporter, I hope he will not challenge Markey. The Senator may not be perfect, but he is good. On some issues, very, very good. We Democrats should be challenging Republicans, not spending time, energy and money fighting each other.

I’d like to see Joe in the Senate. I’d like to see him in the White House someday. But for now, he should bide his time.

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Sad situation is that Warren’s replacement would be appointed by MA republican gov

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The fact that Joe is thinking out loud about challenging Markey says clearly that he does not think Warren will win.

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Until the incredibly lopsided Democratic legislature changes the rules as they do each time a Republican is in the Governor’s seat and there is potential for a Senate vacancy.

Even if they didn’t this time, the appointment is temporary (120days)

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I would be a lot happier if Kennedy did everything to help get Warren elected and then ran for her vacated Senate seat.

But you know that’s not the way the Kennedy Clan rolls.

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Temporary replacement, yes. But a special election gets called for between 145 and 160 days of the vacancy. If Warren is winning the nomination next spring, she can time her resignation from the Senate to basically force the special to replace her to coincide with the Nov. 2020 general election.

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Wow, great point. Was on my mind. That would be slick.

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Joe Kennedy’s got the gift and is destined for fine dedicated service, but potentially running against Democrat and like minded Markey raises the specter of “ruthlessness.”

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She is coming on despite not having any support in the Biden leaning press herd. I wouldn’t bet against Liz. She wants to do something for Americans. That requires her to become President. Biden, Sanders and the rest mostly want to be President.

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Joe Kennedy needs to go out and get a ‘regular’ job and not treat the Massachusetts electorate as if he deserves to be anointed a Senate seat because of his last name.

We fought a revolution in 1776 against a dynastic political system. It does the United States no benefit to keep gravitating towards that model.

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Give it a rest, will ya? Sick of the dynasty crap. He’d be a great senator. That’s what’s important.

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Three generations of [Kennnedys] is enough.

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If the Founding Fathers intended for everyone to “wait their turn” for an open seat, they’d just have done lifetime appointments for everyone and been done with it.

This is a good thing. Democrats shouldn’t feel comfortable that just because they got through the door that now they’re “safe” until they choose to leave office or are beaten by a Republican.

We’ll get more reliable votes from them if they’re all a bit worried that they might be challenged and tossed out.

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I’m fairly confident that the state of Massachusetts disagrees.

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Since Markey is one of the most progressive people in the Senate, what is the basis of Kennedy’s prospective campaign? I mean, other than an obnoxious sense of entitlement brought about by being a white guy from a wealthy family with lots of political connections?

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Or that 2020 provides potentially 2 bites at the Apple.

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Warren could very well win the presidency, but Joe’s not going wait and see. Personal ambition over party.

Incidentally, the Mass. governor is a Republican–like the Vermont governor. So if either Warren or Sanders wins, he or she will be a Senate seat short for the first six months of their presidency, until a new senator is elected. That will preclude judicial appointments of any stripe. I hope all the “nonpartisan” and “moderate” liberals who voted for these GOP hacks will be happy with their handiwork.

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He’d be a great senator. That’s what’s important.

And what’s wrong with Sen Markley?

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