Speed Reads

2020 primaries

Markey fights off challenge from Kennedy in Massachusetts Democratic Senate primary

Sen. Ed Markey won Tuesday's Democratic Senate primary in Massachusetts, defeating Rep. Joseph Kennedy III.

This is the first time a Kennedy has lost a Massachusetts political race. The results are still being tallied, but when Markey was ahead by 10 points, Kennedy called and conceded the race, a Kennedy campaign official told The New York Times.

Markey, 74, was first elected to Congress in 1976. He was backed in the primary by young progressives like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who lauded him for co-sponsoring the Green New Deal. Kennedy, 39, is the grandson of Robert F. Kennedy, and had the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).