Kennedy confirms he's considering Senate bid against Markey

By James Arkin

Massachusetts Rep. Joe Kennedy confirmed Monday he's considering running for Senate next year, setting up a potential blockbuster Democratic primary against Sen. Ed Markey.

"Over the past few weeks I've begun to consider a run for the U.S. Senate," Kennedy wrote in a post on Facebook. "This isn't a decision I'm approaching lightly and — to be completely candid — I wasn't expecting to share my thoughts so soon."

Kennedy said he had not reached a decision and would spend the next "couple weeks" discussing the potential campaign with supporters. His post did not mention Markey or the potential primary. Markey has been in the Senate since a 2013 special election and won his first full term a year later. He already faces competition from two other Democrats for the September 2020 primary.

Shortly after releasing his statement, Kennedy filed a statement of candidacy and organization of a campaign committee for the Senate race with the Federal Election Commission.

There has been growing chatter about a potential Kennedy Senate bid for weeks, and supporters have launched efforts to draft him into the race. Monday's Facebook post was the first time Kennedy has addressed the potential campaign himself.

"I hear the folks who say I should wait my turn, but with due respect — I'm not sure this is a moment for waiting," Kennedy said. "Our system has been letting down a lot of people for a long time, and we can't fix it if we don't challenge it. I've got some ideas on how to do that."

Markey has already been running prepared for a competitive primary that already includes several challengers, but a campaign announcement from Kennedy would raise the pressure on the incumbent significantly. Markey and Kennedy both had slightly more than $4 million cash on hand after the most recent campaign finance reporting deadline in July. Markey won his first full term easily in 2014, but he did not face any Democratic challengers, after taking the seat in a 2013 special election that included a hard-fought Democratic primary.

"I don’t think our democratic process promises anyone a turn," Kennedy said. "What it does promise is the chance for anyone to earn it — if we think we have something to offer and are willing to put ourselves and our ideas out there."