NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Campaigning along Boston’s Dudley Street with his wife Lauren, Congressman Joseph Kennedy III is making his case for why Massachusetts voters should send him to the U.S. Senate. 7’s Adam Williams caught up with him for a one-on-one interview ahead of the fast-approaching primary election.
“It’s about people. Talking to them and listening to them and using their stories to not only inform your motivation but to make sure you’re fighting for the right things,” he said.
Kennedy chose a Newton diner as the setting for the interview. It sits near his home in the district he represents.
The 39-year-old is optimistic about his chances of defeating incumbent Sen. Ed Markey.
“You see a senator who is a decent man but isn’t throwing their heart and soul and giving 100 percent of that effort every single day,” he said. “Why should we expect anything less?”
When asked if he considered his family name to be a help or hindrance to his campaign, he did not hesitate to express his pride in being a Kennedy, a name that has, for so long, been synonymous with American politics.
“I am really proud of the commitment my family has shown. I also know that my family can mean different things to different people, but when I think about the contribution that they have made and how they have tried to elevate the voices of those who have been left out and left behind — I do think that is what politics is all about,” he said. “I am proud of that.”
Kennedy has worked on Capitol Hill for seven years now, while his opponent, Ed Markey has spent 44 years in Washington.
“I think he and I fundamentally view this job differently,” Kennedy said. “And while the legislative record and dedication is clearly important, there is so much more to this job than defining it as, ‘This is about the votes that you cast and the bills that you file. And yea, that’s important. But, being here in your community is important. Making sure the people you represent are seen and heard and that they know that their voices are being taken into account in those battles in Washington. That’s important.”
If elected, Kennedy said he plans to continue to derive the progressive change in Washington.
When asked what it means to be a progressive, Kennedy said, “My definition of progressive is somebody that believes in the fight for the dignity of every single person in our country and is not going to stop it until we get there,” he explained. “What our country’s history has been about is expanding the definition of who we describe as ‘we.’ Bringing more people into it, women, minorities African Americans, LGBTQ community. And we still are not there. By any stretch. We are still not there.”
Kennedy insists he is the best candidate to push back against partisan politics.
“I am proud of the way I have been able to work with colleagues across the aisle by saying, ‘Hey, you’re trying to take away healthcare for 30 million people? I am going to fight you with everything I’ve got.”
With his eyes on the Sept. 1 prize, Kennedy said there is no “Plan B” if he does not win.
“Look, I got in this race last September and put everything on the table and said obviously I am not running for reelection in the House seat and I think the people of Massachusetts deserve a race and a candidate that is going to give it their all and risk everything.”
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)