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Kennedy’s failure to lay out a rationale for taking on Markey was symptomatic of a campaign that was too confident for too long — didn’t think the usual rules applied or that Markey had enough fight in him to fend off one of the party’s bright young stars. https://politi.co/2Z0PdLw ">https://politi.co/2Z0PdLw&q...
Kennedy’s candidacy was designed around the idea that a vote for Kennedy was an investment in his seemingly limitless political future, while Markey was already on his way out the door.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
What Kennedy didn& #39;t envision was the way Markey would reinvent himself as a darling of the progressive left over the course of the year, harnessing the energy of young voters and climate activists. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
Kennedy advisers concede that the campaign should have gone negative earlier & defined the incumbent while his polling numbers were low. But the campaign also blamed the press & the left wing of the party for giving Markey a free pass to reinvent himself. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
A couple of tough quotes:
"The Markey campaign did a masterful job convincing voters Ed is someone he is not," one Dem strategist said.
"This goes to show you that the left doesn& #39;t do their homework and they& #39;re easily won over by bright shiny objects," said a Kennedy ally.
"The Markey campaign did a masterful job convincing voters Ed is someone he is not," one Dem strategist said.
"This goes to show you that the left doesn& #39;t do their homework and they& #39;re easily won over by bright shiny objects," said a Kennedy ally.
The campaign was also caught flat-footed by Markey’s late attempts to do the unthinkable: Weaponize Kennedy& #39;s last name.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
Markey& #39;s risky attack proved effective at rallying his progressive base. Even Speaker DeLeo was photographed holding up a T-shirt that read "Tell Ya Fatha." The speaker apologized privately, saying he didn’t know what the shirt meant, per 5 sources. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
Kennedy unleashed his famous family in full in the final weeks, but sources close to the campaign say it came too late. Kennedy& #39;s internal polls showed him losing traction weeks before the election.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
Kennedy had already lost his cash advantage over Markey months earlier after spending $2.4 million in television ads in the spring that failed to move the dial — many saw that as a critical mistake. https://www.politico.com/news/2020/09/02/joe-kennedy-senate-campaign-failed-408033">https://www.politico.com/news/2020...
The symbolic blow came in East Boston, where the Kennedy family has its roots & the congressman launched his campaign.
He made an end-of-campaign speech there and sought to dismiss the idea that his motivation for running mattered at all.
Days later, he lost every precinct.
He made an end-of-campaign speech there and sought to dismiss the idea that his motivation for running mattered at all.
Days later, he lost every precinct.
