Is it just me or do others think it lame for Joe K 3 to have a pretty uncontested field for the Dem nod for Barney’s seat. He may be great, but I don’t know that yet. He will have to prove it and a tough primary would do that. Maybe things are just quiet before some known and potentially strong candidates come forward, but so far it seems a lot of potentials are taking a pass. Some, like sitting legislators, won’t want to risk their seats for a long shot and Congress is a mess right now. But I’m just surprised and bit worried. I don’t want all our eggs in one Kennedy basket. What sayeth the BMG community?
Please share widely!
Boston City Council President Mike Ross
Herb Robinson dropped out of the Senate race to seek CD 4
Jesse Mermell announced she is not running.
Mike Ross, maybe…
By all accounts, Joe 3 seems like a decent guy, but it’s pretty absurd if he’s scaring everyone off. Personally, I’m sick and tired of the idea that a last name makes someone supposedly unbeatable. The district tilts a little more rightward now and a relative unknown seen as relying heavily on his family’s reputation might be vulnerable — even if turnout is high for the Senate and Presidential races.
I think this is yet another example of the structural problem we have developing a solid bench for US House and Senate races. The way the State House and Senate are run, it’s tough for new progressive leaders to emerge from there — unremarkable loyalists prosper and promising new faces aren’t trusted by the entrenched leadership. We’ve lucked out with Deval Patrick and Elizabeth Warren, but it’s hardly surprising that they came from outside the MA House/Senate structure.
As a 31 year old man who wants to serve in the United States Congress, Joe K3 actually lives with his mom and dad (and their residences are not even within border of the district). Sorry folks, but this is going to be a total disaster for the Democratic party.
… might be less of a problem given that all the districts were recently redrawn.
And living with mom and dad doesn’t bother me. I bet about 90% of the 31 year olds in the world live with mom and dad.
His parents are bitterly divorced.
It has been widely reported that Joe K3 does not have a residence of his own, but rather, he splits his time between his mother’s home in Brighton and his father’s home in Cambridge. What a life!!
His father lives in Brighton and his Mother is in Cambridge. Neither residence is in the district, however.
There is also one Marty Farren, a software developer, and a Jules Levine (no link), identified as a law professor and Occupy activist.
Living with parents is more common these days, though one would think a Kennedy would have the resources to be on his own. Being from out of district could be an issue, but not a legal one and certainly not necessarily fatal.
Particularly one has unremarkable who has done little with the gifts he was born with and didn’t even live in the district. Lets not forget bored old Joe wasn’t half the Congressman O’Neil was before him or Capuano after him. I remember he helped expand cable and protested the Queens speech over Northern Ireland, oh and always jockey for higher office. Thats about it. Lousy constituent service office unlike his uncle. No thank you please. Hopefully this goes as far as Max Kennedy’s.
He has worked in Gerry Leone’s DA office and his father never sought higher office despite his name being speculated upon. The Kennedy’s have a great legacy of public service in this state and I would always give them serious consideration.
Would you vote for an ADA for Congress whose last name wasn’t Kennedy? There are a lot of people who are not from rich families that are more qualified running in the race, qualified in the sense that they have held prior elected office and actually live in the district they are running for. Admittedly I also know next to nothing about him, but if he wants to run and run credibly he should get on here, discuss his qualifications, and discuss the issues. In America we are supposed to hold elections, not coronations.
But against these clowns I’d absolutely vote for an ADA whose name wasn’t Kennedy, as long as they were liberal enough.
Let us finally break the back of dynastic politics! If his name were not Kennedy, he would have a zero percent chance of victory, given his resume.
Lets leave the dynasties to the Republicans
…only Mike Ross of the candidates has ANY experience in elective office, but working in the DA’s office is hardly unprecedented as a precursor to elective office. Marty Meehan I believe had that resume, for example. I agree that nobody should presume entitlement on a name, but a name shouldn’t disqualify someone automatically either.
Mike Ross doesn’t live in the Congressional district, which means neither he nor JK3 can use the argument about who lives there and who doesn’t. Mike may have grown up in Newton, but he’s now 40 years old and his high school years are well past him. Will anyone outside Newton really care that he lived in the district 22 years ago?
The big question for Ross is whether he moves to the district before the primary or before the November election. If he moves, he must resign from Boston City Council. Does he bet everything on this race? Its hard to get back into office once you’ve left, but he’s hungry for this (especially after getting ready to run for the Capuano seat when the Congressman was running for the U.S. Senate in 2009). No one campaigns harder than Mike Ross, so don’t count him out even if the opposition is a Kennedy.
It may be a political issue, but there is no requirement that one live in the district, only that one live in the state, which he represents. When Jim Miceli ran for CD-5 in 2007 he only said he would move into the district if he won.
Jconway is right – yes, the Kennedy family has a history of public service. So do lots of families. Joe Kennedy III is 31 years old and has been in the workforce for … 3 years. But for his last name (which could be a blessing and a curse), he’d be trying to work his way up to prosecuting felonies, not running for Congress.
People are right to point out that he lives with his parents – I’m in his age range, also a young lawyer, and everyone else in our position has their own apartment or condo, either with a significant other or roommates. None of us put out press releases when we’ve gotten engaged, either.
Kennedy’s also got zero elective experience, which, as we can see from the spate of Tea Party freshmen who think “my way or the highway” is good politics, would be nice for a Congressman. Kennedy hasn’t been a state rep, a city councilor, or even on the ZBA in Cambridge.
He also doesn’t have a long career history from which he can demonstrate his abilities and record like other political newbies like Elizabeth Warren or Deval Patrick. One of those things (elective experience or job experience) are absolutely necessary to be a credible candidate for this level of office. I’m sorry, but being a volunteer in the Peace Corps just doesn’t cut it. Half of my friends did Teach for America … and they know it doesn’t qualify them for the House. At most, it qualifies them for an entry level job.
Mike Ross seems to be a nice, smart guy, he’s been elected numerous times to a competitive seat, but I agree with christopheroleary below – it’s all or nothing for Ross here. If he loses this, I don’t think he can plausibly tell Bostonians “Yes, I said I really felt close to Newton last year, but I swear it’s back in Mission Hill today.” Capuano’s seat is becoming less and less likely for him now – it’s lost a lot of its progressive base (mid-Cambridge) and added conservative dems (Everett). So, it’s up or out for Mr. Ross here.
I also don’t see Capuano leaving anytime soon now – and when he does, THAT field will be crowded. Don’t expect to see Mr. Kennedy run for that seat if he loses the Fourth. Many more competitive candidates live in the new 7th than in the new 4th.