The United States democracy has had a few families that have stolen the political spotlight throughout its history. Other than the Bush Dynasty the Kennedy Family rivals none. The most remarkable part, they’ve got a new up and coming star. Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III democrat of the 4th congressional district of Massachusetts’s.
Aside from being the son of Congressman Joseph Kennedy II, grandson of famed Senator Robert Kennedy, and having great uncles include President John F. Kennedy and Senator Ted Kennedy, this young Kennedy does have an impressive resume. He is a graduate of Harvard Law School, served in the peace corps for three years and as an assistant district attorney for the State of Massachusetts. He did all of this before the age thirty-two.
That was when he set his eyes on power. He was elected to the U.S congress in 2012. His reelection campaigns have gone spectacularly. He won reelection in both 2014 and 2016. Kennedy however is showing great eagerness for his turn at major power. This past fall he launched a 2020 primary challenge against incumbent democratic Senator Edward Markey. Now thirty-nine Kennedy is challenging a veteran politician nearly twice his age. Kennedy posted his decision to run on his Facebook and Twitter in 2019.
Political news outlets, one for instance Reuters, are claiming this may be one of Markey’s toughest political challengers. What makes this contest even more interesting stems from the fact the winner will most likely be decided in the primary. By this I mean Massachusetts is a democratic stronghold. It would be very unlikely to see a republican upset either of these powerful democrats in the election.
Kennedy was labeled as the frontrunner in early polling, but Markey has received some notable endorsements. One of the most notable being from Senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren. A loss in this campaign would not be a death blow for Kennedy’s political career. He is both charismatic and energetic. Adding to an already dangerous resume and personality he was chosen as the youngest person to give the democratic response after the State of the Union address by President Trump. This opportunity put his young career into the national spotlight.
In his darkest days he will always have his family’s wealth and power to fall back on. This also raises a concerning question. Are political dynasties healthy for the U.S democracy? Kennedy has been notably outspoken against Donald Trump and much of the Republican party. He speaks of clothing the naked, feeding the poor and bringing peace to the U.S. He preaches all of this while he was raised with the shiniest silver spoon in his mouth. Understandably it can be difficult to believe a man of his status could actually be in touch with the problems of the poor or even the everyday American. Kennedy has used his family name along with an Ivy League resume to propel his way into the national spotlight and he is only hungry for more. Where will this lead him? No one can know for sure, but Kennedy’s youth makes him a viable candidate in future presidential elections, and it is safe to say that the Kennedy Dynasty is far from over.
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