House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy III in his tough Democratic primary for the state’s U.S. Senate seat.
“Joe Kennedy represents this party’s future. He will help lead Democrats forward on the defining battles of our time,” Pelosi told the Boston Globe on Thursday.
She added, “Never before have the times demanded we elect courageous leaders as today, and that is why I am proud to endorse Joe Kennedy for Senate.”
Kennedy, an eight-year congressman representing swaths of Massachusetts south of Boston, is vying for the Senate against first-term incumbent Ed Markey. While Markey’s relatively new to the Senate, starting in July 2013, he was a House member for 37 years on behalf of a Boston-anchored district — including 26 years in the chamber alongside Pelosi.
Pelosi’s endorsement conflicts with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who backed Markey last year. New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has also thrown her political weight behind Markey, a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal.
Kennedy was an early favorite measured by polling and fundraising. But his advantage in both metrics has evaporated as the primary draws near on Sept. 1.
The contest has grown increasingly personal in its closing weeks, with Markey criticizing Kennedy for acting like he’s entitled to the seat given that his family has dominated Massachusetts state politics for decades.
Kennedy responded to the attacks this week in a rare press conference called to address his political dynasty.
“I am proud of their contribution and their history, but I recognize that that work is theirs. It is not mine because that is what my family taught me about legacy: A legacy is earned,” he said.
