The man who ended the Kennedy 'legendary empire'

However, rarely has a state primary attracted such public attention, and rarely has the person who receives more attention not the winner Ed Markey, but the loser Joe Kennedy III. Because this was the first time a member of the illustrious Kennedy family had lost a state election in Massachusetts, and because of that, Joe Kennedy III is also known as the person who ended the “legendary empire” of Kennedys in American politics.

A “new generation” Kennedy

It has been 57 years since the assassination of the late US President John F. Kennedy after only 2 years in office, but the Kennedy family's mark has not faded in American politics. Because, not only has one president, America also has other congressmen with the last name Kennedy, that is Edward Kennedy and Ted Kennedy - both Senators of Massachusetts, Robert F. Kennedy - Senator of New York, and Joseph Patrick Kennedy II - Representative of Massachusetts.

The image of the late US President John F. Kennedy was used in Joe Kennedy III's election campaign. Photo: Politico

Kennedy is considered one of the most prestigious families in American politics, where those with the last name Kennedy are automatically considered the political elite. There is even a saying in Massachusetts that running for the Senate against an opponent with the last name Kennedy would be “a joke”!

That is also what happened to Joseph Patrick Kennedy III (Joe Kennedy III for short) - the grandson of the late President John F. Kennedy and the son of Joseph Patrick Kennedy II. But behind the family's halo, Joe Kennedy III also has different qualities. In addition to his handsome appearance and gentlemanly charm, his unquestionable talent and intelligence as a "privilege" of a Kennedy, Joe Kennedy III is also considered a humble person, with a spirit of learning, and warmth in his personal life - things that make him much closer to the public. Joe Kennedy III is also not involved in the scandals of some other political figures in the family such as smoking addiction, causing accidents while driving, troubled marriages when information about adultery was leaked... At the age of 39, many people call Joe Kennedy III "a new generation Kennedy".

To those who knew Joe Kennedy III, he stood out from his family lineage because he was raised by his mother, Sheila Rauch Kennedy, after his parents divorced. As a teenager, he would visit Hyannis Port, the Kennedy stronghold, to attend glamorous parties, but would return to his mother’s middle-class home in Cambridge, where he inherited her modesty and discipline. He graduated from Harvard Law School and worked for a time at the Harvard Legal Aid Clinic before entering politics in 2012, the year he was elected to replace Barney Frank in the House of Representatives.

During his time as a congressman, he never built his personal image on the political tradition of the Kennedy family. He focused on promoting the values ​​he believed in about freedom and democracy, and was considered a progressive figure with a strong voice against racism. But in the state of Massachusetts, where there was no shortage of bright candidates for the Democratic Party, Joe Kennedy III was still satisfied with a moderate position for many years. Because, besides work, he always wanted to spend more time with his small family, including his wife, a 4-year-old daughter, and a 2-year-old son.

Joe Kennedy III speaks outside his campaign office in Watertown after learning of his defeat. Photo: AP

But perhaps, with the blood of the Kennedy family and a career in politics, Joe Kennedy III always had the potential to explode for greater things, the only important thing was the timing. And that timing was last September when he suddenly announced that he would leave the House of Representatives and run against veteran congressman Ed Markey for a Senate seat in the November election this year. Those who still believed in the glory of the Kennedy family quickly drew a vision of America having a "President Kennedy" in the future.

Get rid of family burden

When Joe Kennedy III announced his run for the Senate, many Massachusetts Democrats believed it was time for Ed Markey, who had served four terms, to be replaced by a freshman. And Joe Kennedy III was the perfect fit. In the early stages, Joe Kennedy III was always ahead of his 74-year-old colleague in the polls. And once again, people predicted that Joe Kennedy III would end the election season with a glorious victory, just like the previous Kennedys had done in Massachusetts.

Using the archaic imagery of his grandfather and younger grandfathers ruined the very freshness that Joe Kennedy III wanted to use to defeat Ed Markey.

But Joe Kennedy III and his team underestimated the vitality, campaigning skills, and especially the determination of his opponent Ed Markey. While Joe Kennedy III emphasized a generational change in the Democratic Party in the Senate, Ed Markey focused on core issues to ensure a peaceful life for the people, namely stopping the proliferation of nuclear weapons and applying strict standards on greenhouse gas emissions. When polls near the election day showed that Ed Markey began to gain, Joe Kennedy III used the "weapon" that he had always refused to use throughout his political career: the Kennedy family name.

Joe Kennedy III's team invited his grandmother, Ethel Kennedy, who is now 92 years old, to contribute her voice to a campaign video, in which she called out: "I hope with all my heart that you will vote for Joe. Joe reminds me of Bobby, Jack and Teddy (the affectionate name of the Kennedys who once held the position of senator)." Analysts said that this was a disastrous calculation because the image of Joe Kennedy III ended up being associated with the old image of his grandfather and his young grandfathers, ruining the freshness that Joe Kennedy III wanted to use to defeat Ed Markey. In the end, Joe Kennedy III had to sadly watch Ed Markey win with a difference in support rate of 55.6% compared to 4.4%.

Mr. Joe Kennedy III announced that he will support his opponent Ed Markey. Photo: NTD

If members of the Kennedy family want to go further than their ancestors, they will have to break free from old values, break free from old halos to build prestige from their own intrinsic values.

Joe Kennedy III’s defeat marked the first time a member of the “Kennedy political empire” lost a state election in Massachusetts. But for those who understand politics, this event is an affirmation that if members of the Kennedy family want to go further than their fathers, they will have to escape the old values, escape the old halo to build prestige from their own intrinsic values, values ​​that are suitable for a changing America. With Joe Kennedy III, despite losing to Ed Markey, he is still considered an elite figure in politics, and American voters simply “choose the better of two good people”.

Joe Kennedy III himself, after learning of the defeat, declared, “We may have lost the election tonight, but we will build a lasting alliance,” and affirmed that he would support Markey because of their similar political views. At the age of 39, many believe that if Joe Biden wins the upcoming election against Donald Trump, Joe Kennedy III will likely still hold a senior position in the administration. Therefore, although the “Kennedy dynasty” may end, for Joe Kennedy III, it may be a way to shed the burden of his family lineage, to shine with his own values.