House progressive superstar Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Ed Markey in a Massachusetts Democratic primary that could pit the incumbent senator against a congressman with a famous name, Joe Kennedy III.
Ocasio-Cortez’s decision to publicly back Markey adds to other support Markey is building ahead of a potential faceoff with the politically powerful Kennedy dynasty. Kennedy, 38, is a grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy and, like Markey, a progressive Democrat.
Markey, 73, is the lead Senate sponsor of the Green New Deal, which Ocasio-Cortez introduced in the House this year. He is seeking a second term in November 2020.
“Ed Markey is a proud and strong progressive champion for working families,” Ocasio-Cortez declared in an endorsement video. “Not just in Massachusetts, but across the country.”
Markey has been scrambling to shore up support among top Massachusetts officials in the wake of Kennedy’s Facebook announcement that he’s weighing a Senate run.
In August, Kennedy formed an exploratory committee to examine whether to challenge Markey for the Democratic spot on the November 2020 ballot. “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 wrote.
The Kennedys have laid claim to a Bay State Senate seat for decades. Ted Kennedy held a seat in the Senate from 1962 until his death in 2009. He succeeded his older brother John, who was first elected in 1952 and left the Senate when he won the presidency.
Joe Kennedy III was elected to the House in 2012. His father, Joe Kennedy II, served in the House from 1987 until 1999.
In the video, Ocasio-Cortez identified Markey as one of the strongest progressives in the Senate. Markey stood with Ocasio-Cortez outside the Capitol when she introduced the Green New Deal in the House. Many Democrats criticized the plan as too broad and unrealistic, including Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.
Ocasio-Cortez credited Markey for backing the plan alongside her despite the criticism.
“When I first got to Congress and we started to discuss big, bold plans — a solution on the scale of the crisis — many members shied away,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “A lot of people said we can’t do too much. We can’t go too fast in order to pursue change for the American people.”
“And Ed Markey was one of the few people that had the courage to stand up and take a chance,” she said. “And take a chance on a freshman congresswoman. And take a chance on this plan.”
