Pelosi endorses Kennedy over Markey in Massachusetts Senate primary race
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has endorsed Congressman Joe Kennedy III for senator. Kennedy, the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy and son of former Congressman Joseph Kennedy II, is challenging Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey in a contentious Democratic primary race.
"Never before have the times demanded that we elect courageous leaders as today, which is why I'm pleased to join so many of my colleagues in endorsing Joe Kennedy III for Senate," Pelosi said in a video recorded for the campaign. "He knows that to achieve progressive change, you must be on the front lines leading movements of people. Massachusetts and America need Joe Kennedy's courage and leadership in the Senate."
Pelosi's endorsement of Kennedy is a snub of Markey, who was one of Pelosi's longtime House colleagues. In 2007, Pelosi tapped Markey as chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, which existed until 2011 after the Republicans retook the House.
Markey has established his progressive bona fides in the Senate, and was a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal. He has been endorsed by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Elizabeth Warren, and also has the support of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Markey has accused Kennedy of trading on his famous family name to get elected to the Senate. In a heated debate last week for CBS affiliate WBZ-TV, Markey asked Kennedy if his father is funding a super PAC responsible for attack ads.
"Tell your father right now that you don't want money to go into a super PAC that runs negative ads. Just tell your twin brother and tell your father you don't want any money to be spent on negative ads," Markey said.
Kennedy later slammed Markey for attacking the Kennedy family by "questioning their integrity, weaponizing their history, appropriating their words."
The Massachusetts primary is set for September 1.